Child Injury Lawyer Blog
By Robert Chaiken, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
Manuel Armendariz, a 2-year-old boy from Socorro, Texas, died after he was locked inside a vehicle for several hours. Socorro Police and rescue units were called to Micacita mobile home park where the boy was located. Investigators arrested the boy’s father, Emmanuel Armendariz, and charged him with child injury leading to death, a first-degree felony. Emmanuel Armendariz will be entitled to a criminal defense attorney and the case may go to trial if plea deals or other negotiations prove unsuccessful. If you would like to read more on this story please see 2-year-old Texas boy dies after locked inside a car for several hours.
A 13-year-old boy, Peter Lenz of Vancouver, Washington, died after a motorcycle crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Peter was reportedly run over by another motorcycle driver after he fell from his motorbike during a warm-up lap. The driver of the other motorcycle was identified as 12-year-old Xavier Zayat of Flushing, New York and reportedly did not sustain any personal injuries. Peter was immediately placed in a neck brace and onto a stretcher by medical workers who also performed chest compression on him until he arrived at the hospital. Peter was pronounced dead several hours later.
Teeny Tiny Tots Day Care of Little Rock, Arkansas is under investigation by the State of Arkansas Department of Human Services due to a police report filed by a mother whose child attends the day care. The mother, Jeanette Mojica filed the police report after she found bite marks all over her 11-month-old daughter, who attended the day care – Mojica is accusing the day care of negligence. After the shocking discovery, Mojica took her toddler to a hospital where doctors counted close to 20 bite marks.
Recently, in Jackson County, Michigan, a 6-year-old girl, Tyah Norris, sustained serious personal injuries to her face and skull after the child was mauled by a group of pit bulls. It was reported that one of Tyah’s tear ducts was injured and part of her skull is gone. At the hospital, Tyah’s mother stated her daughter had stitches all over her face and was still in pain. And, according to the Jackson Citizen Patriot, Tyah is in serious condition.
On August 12 9-year-old boy, Trevor Howe, ran outside of his home chasing after his family’s Labrador retriever, Sweetpea. However, when Trevor’s parents discovered Sweetpea had returned to the home without Trevor, Trevor’s parents rushed to a nearby pond to look for their son. When they arrived at the pond medical personnel were already working on Trevor’s unconscious body. Trevor died four days later at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.
Since 2008, at least 10 children have been accidentally shot in central Indiana. This statistic includes the most recent shooting of a 5-year-old child who was accidentally shot by his cousin while his cousin was spinning a revolver in his hand. The five-year-old boy was identified as Miguel Luna. Miguel was last reported in critical condition at Riley Hospital for Children.
Staffers at the Hennepin County Medical Center are concerned with the high rate of children falling through windows this summer. In this year alone, HCMC has treat 14 different pediatric patients after they have fallen from windows. These patients ranged from 17-months-old to 7-years-old. This number is double from 2009, where HCMC treated 7 pediatric patients who suffered injuries from window falls.
Vicksburg High School’s head football coach, Tom Marchese believes that concussions are more serious than most people think, especially because concussions have long-term effects. Marchese may be on to something. New studies reveal that repeated concussions may cause permanent brain damage that eventually shows up with symptoms such as depression, chronic headaches, early-onset dementia, and/or adult-onset attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Child safety advocates are urging for lower teacher-child ratios in the classroom. Under the current state standard, Texas permits 2 caregivers to watch 22, 2-year-olds or 30, 3-year-olds. However, the child advocates are urging for two caregivers to watch 18, 2-year-olds, or 28, 3-year-olds.
The incident that resulting in a a 2-and-a-half-year-old girl being left behind in a Wisconsin Park has an Appleton, Wisconsin day care center reviewing their policies. The girl was left behind at the park for about 30 minutes.