5 children dead after father loses control after reaching to answer cell phone

[Liberal_in_LA]

Father got himself out safely


http://www.usatoday.com/weather/floods/2009-04-19-houston-flash-flooding-fatalities_N.htm?csp=24&RM_Exclude=Juno

Officials: 5 Houston children dead in swamped car



By Michael Graczyk, Associated Press Writer
HOUSTON — Five Houston children died Saturday after their sedan slid into a rain-swollen ditch when the driver lost control while trying to answer a cellphone, authorities said.

John Cannon, a Houston police spokesman, told several Houston television stations that the driver of the car was the father of four of the dead children, all 7 or younger. Cannon said the driver was taken for blood-alcohol testing.

The father was among two adults and a 10-year-old girl who escaped the fast-moving current that swept the car 100 feet from where it left the road and made the vehicle inaccessible to emergency workers for hours, Cannon said.

Houston television station KTRK reported that police said the dead children included 1- and 3-year-old girls and three boys, ages 4, 6 and 7.

[derby378]

1. DEE DEE DEE!!

Putting your little cellphone over the safety of defenseless children? You stay classy, man...

:mad:

[Pale Blue Dot]

2. There were 8 people in a sedan??? nt

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. I passed a car with 3 girls in the back seat, each girl had a young child on her lap

so six total in the back seat, toddlers on laps were not in restraints. This was in los angeles a few years ago.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. I saw a lady at a convenience store not long ago

Opened up the back seat and literally threw her baby in the car. Like a sack of groceries.

I take that back. You would be more careful with groceries.

So she threw the baby in the car, no car seat (of course), slammed the door, got in the drivers side and took off like a bat out of hell.

[Liberal_in_LA]

11. yikes! n/t

[nonconformist]

12. OMG, that brings tears to my eyes just reading that. nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. I should have called 911

But the lady took off so fast I didn't get her tag number.

[Duckhunter935]

7. normal down here in southwest Texas

6-8-10, do not wear seatbelts, Bald tires, out of date registrations and state inspections. most of the time no insurance.

[Liberal_in_LA]

14. wow...

[MajorChode]

16. The Texas stationwagon is a truck

You can load a lot of kids in the back of your truck.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. Really. That is more dangerous than the cell phone.

[Liberal_in_LA]

13. I know. And in Los Angeles, it's THE LAW to have everyone in restraints.

[Deja Q]

4. But did he answer that very important call? I mean, did his shipment of crack finally arrive?!!

:mad:

[uppityperson]

5. "He said Jenkins lost control when he hung up the phone ", misleading subject line

That said, this is very sad. The closest I've ever come to crashing is changing music in my car

[customerserviceguy]

6. Sounds to me like the cell phone was a minor part of the problem

but being intoxicated with a bunch of kids in the car is an even more serious problem. I'm also a bit surprised that there were not guard rails next to the road, if this water course is a possible drowning hazard.

[marshall]

10. Father flees a sinking car leaving his children to drown like rats?

I can't understand what goes through a father's (or a mother's) mind when they escape from a sinking car and leave their children to fend for themselves. Is it just self preservation that kicks in, and not a thought is given to the helpless children?

[Liberal_in_LA]

18. I thought the same, was too chicken to post it. Thought I'd get flamed. Notice

everyone age 10 and over got out just fine. All kids were left, probably strapped in, to drown.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

19. No need to pile on, I'm sure he'll question himself for the rest of his life.

Maybe he tried to get them out and went up to get a breath to go back down only to find the car had been swept further down stream. He knows what he did or didn't do and he will have to live with that the rest of his life.


David

[LisaL]

21. Yea and I bet he will have time to think about it. Police expect to charge him today.

Police expect to file at least four counts of intoxication manslaughter later today against the driver, 32-year-old Chanton Jenkins, said HPD spokesman John Cannon.

Jenkins failed a field sobriety test and was taken into custody for a blood test.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6380742.html

[nonconformist]

15. So very sad... and preventable.

One thing I can guarantee... if my kids are drowning, so am I.

[lisa58]

20. I am just sick

[Lisa0825]

22. He is also suspected of drunk driving and we were having torrential rain

at the time. A "perfect storm" on wheels.

:(