Statue falls on four year old boy, killing him

[jberryhill]

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-05-26/news/1993146029_1_small-pillars-statue-creek

A 4-year-old Sykesville boy was killed yesterday afternoon at an Ellicott City spiritual retreat after he fell from a small religious statue, which toppled onto his head.

Cooper Dean Gregory Williams had been playing with the 2-foot-tall statue of the Virgin Mary at the Our Lady Center, where his grandmother is the manager. Apparently he climbed onto its marble platform, then grabbed the statue when he lost his balance.

The boy fell down an embankment into a shallow creek, and the statue toppled over, landing on his head.

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I wonder how much they billed the family for the damage to the statue, but the article unfortunately does not provide information about the extent to which this valuable piece of art may have been damaged or broken.

[NutmegYankee]

1. They'll wait until after it drops out of the news first.

Yeah, I know, we suck as a society...

[jberryhill]

3. It's actually an old story

But given the general sentiment on hazardous art in public places here, I thought it might make many feel better to know that sometimes the statue wins.

[NutmegYankee]

6. I'm with you.

When little children visit I put breakables out of reach, because they can get into trouble so fast.

[John1956PA]

4. The tragedy occurred in 1993. n/t

[jberryhill]

5. Yes, but the child is still dead

[John1956PA]

7. I responded, as you did, to the poster who seemed to think article was current.

[jberryhill]

8. Oh, okay... here's one from 2014

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/police-2-year-old-dies-after-statue-falls-on-him/


A 2-year-old Utah boy was killed when a 6-foot-tall dolphin statue fell on him in the Fisherman’s Wharf area of San Francisco, police said Monday.

The toddler was apparently playing on Friday when he climbed up and wrapped his arms and legs around the heavy metal statue outside Majestic Collection Art Gallery, bringing it down, police spokesman Officer Gordon Shyy said.


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The thing is, anyone who is responsible for installing a statue in a public place has definite responsibilities if children are expected to be in that place.

[Mr. Ected]

2. We are, after all, a nation of loss

Mitigation.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

9. I blame the family right for not watching him every second of the day!!

When I was a kid and killed by falling statues, my parents paid for the statues without hesitation!!

[mythology]

14. Don't want the responsibility, don't have the kid

I don't get why taking responsibility for your offspring is considered too high of an expectation. Adulting is hard.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

15. I agree.

This is why I’m all for disbanding the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Tell those nanny staters to get off the back of the IKEAs and Walmart’s of the world - let them sell furniture that tips and kills kids.

I blame the parents. If you can’t keep a constant eye on your kids, don’t have them!

[jberryhill]

17. Tamir Rice's parents should have had to reimburse the cops for the bullets

I mean, letting a child play outside with a toy gun. What were they thinking?

[John1956PA]

10. Tragedies of children losing their lives to toppled sculptures are akin to dresser toppling cases.

Certain furniture manufacturers have recalled dressers due to lack of dresser-to-wall securing brackets.

[jberryhill]

11. One would almost get the impression that it is prudent to secure such objects against children

Unless, of course, it is a public facility which hosts parties where children are present. Because, hey, every single child out of thousands of visitors will of course be under constant watch with no mistakes.

[John1956PA]

12. I agree. As the old saying goes, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." n/t

[Hassin Bin Sober]

16. We do some volunteer work for a refugee charity that places families in apartments.

We strap all the dressers, TVs and anything else that can tip. It’s common fucking sense.

[mcar]

13. Too bad he wasn't taught to keep his hands in his pockets at all times

like some here.

Parents must pay for the actions of their "ankle biters."