Child Injury Lawyer Blog
By Steven Smith, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
In Queens, New York a bizarre incident occurred. A man called 911 to report that he thought that he struck a pedestrian. For some unknown reason, though, he did not stop. The pedestrian, was then hit by a second car. Instead of stopping at the scene, not realizing that he had hit the pedestrian, the second car continued on his trip, for 17 miles into Brooklyn! He was stopped by a pedestrian in Brooklyn who told him that there was something being dragged under his SUV. It turned out to be the pedestrian, who he had hit a county away. He was dead and unfortunately, partially dismembered.
Parents pay for and send their children to school to get an education. Most parents do not send their children to school to deal drugs or to hold up other students at gun point in the dorm room. At Hofstra University, students were recently arrested for drug dealing and weapons charges. Students held up another student at gun point and stole drugs out of the victim’s room. This incident came to light when the “victim” reported the hold up to campus police. The victim was robbed at gun point by a realistic looking gun (a pellet gun). The student thieves took drugs, jewelry and cash and then escaped in a getaway car. The victim made a big mistake in reporting the crime as he was arrested for dealing pills, marijuana and cocaine out of his Hofstra University dorm room. Further investigation led to the arrest of the students using the pellet guns and their accomplices.
Mothers are supposed to care and protect their children – not drown and kill them. Tragically, Leatrice Brewer, age 28, did just that. Leatrice Brewer pleaded guilty by reason of mental defect or diseased for crimes committed against her children. Instead of going to prison for life, she will be sent to a psychiatric facility – possibly for life. Psychiatrists diagnosed Brewer with a major depressive disorder when she killed her children. Supposedly, Brewer thought that her criminal acts were saving her children from the dangers of voo doo.
New York day care and child care centers are regulated by the
New York day care and child care centers are regulated by the
In Nassau County, New York and other cities throughout the State, there are holiday festivals and celebrations. Grandparents, parents, and children celebrate the holidays together with food, song and dance. A good time is expected by all. Unfortunately, holiday gatherings are some times the site of unexpected tragedy, injuries to children and in the most tragic cases death. A 76 year old man lost control of his 2007 BMW X3 and crashed into a Channukah Wonderland party in commercial area of Woodmere, New York. A total of 14 people were injured including a child under the age of 2. The accident victims were taken to three local hospitals for evaluation and treatment. The BMW at issue was reported to be registered to Theodore Saretsky, a local psychiatrist. A local religious leader, Rabbi Heshy Blumstein of Young Israel of Hewett and his wife, Mimi, visited some of the injured at Winthrop hospital.
A New York middle school teacher (Ellen Bernstein) at Haverstraw Middle School in Rockland County decided to illustrate concepts of slavery with two teen students by binding the students. One student was white and one was black. The teacher bound the feet and hands of both students. The black student (Gabrielle Shand) did not volunteer for the lesson and when she returned home later that day was in tears in recounting the public school lesson with her mother. The local NAACP has stepped in to protest the lesson and conduct of the school teacher.
The City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and other communities have instituted curfews for children / teens in an effort to protect children and to reduce crime. Parents often times face a battle with strong minded teens who do not want to follow a parent directed curfew. It is one thing to ignore a parent’s rules and demands. It is quite another to ignore curfews set forth in laws and ordinances. Safety and law enforcement experts believe that curfews mandated by cities can often have a strong deterrent on juvenile crime. As an example, recently in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the 2400 block of W. Chambers Street, at approximately 4:00 a.m., a 16-year old boy, who was suspected of a curfew violation, was arrested and found to have 37 Ecstasy pills. The juvenue was arrested after attempting to flee from Milwaukee police and after he was seen tossing a gun / firearm. He was observed standing in the street, next to a car, speaking with others on the street and in the car. Pending charges include possession with intent to deliver, carrying a concealed weapon, and possession of a dangerous weapon by a child. You can read more about this incident at