By David M. Baum, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
Camden Belfield died in July 2008 after touching a light pole at Bartonville Park in Peoria Illinois. The wiring was insufficient and not properly grounded according to an investigation of the incident. It is most unfortunate that 8 year old Camden Belfield died due to inadequate safety measures for the light pole. The incident happened while Camden was playing tag with friends at approximately 9 p.m. at night on July 20, 2008 when he came in contact with the wooden light pole. Apparently, the light pole and its wiring had been deficient since the year it was installed in 1994. The school district owned the property and leased it out to the Limestone Girls Softball Association for its use. A lawsuit was later filed for the wrongful death of Camden Belfield.
Winter weather and big chartered buses can often times be a dangerous combination. In Seattle, Washington, a charter bus crashed through a barrier after it was in an accident with another chartered bus. The buses came close to falling off of a 20 feet embankment. Tow trucks eventually safety removed the buses but it took hours to do so. The buses were carrying 80 young adults from a training program in Moses Lake, Washington. Many of the passengers were taken to a local hospital (Harborview Medical Center) for treatment of minor injuries.
Wisconsin, as does most states, requires that school bus drivers pass a criminal background check prior to receiving a school bus driver’s license endorsement. Although Wisconsin allows school bus drivers to have felony convictions, it does provide a detailed list of felony convictions, including convictions for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, which will disqualify a person from being a school bus driver for periods of time ranging from two years to a lifetime disqualification. You can read more about the qualifications for school bus drivers in Wisconsin at the 
Going to the movie theater during the holiday break can be deadly. James Joseph Cialella, 29, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania became upset over noisy movie goers and decided to open fire in the movie theater. Police were called to the theater and arrested Cialella who was carrying a .380 caliber handgun in his pants.
What are the staffing requirements for Missouri day care centers? Pursuant to 19 Code of State Regulations Section 60.050 – Staffing Requirements, a day care facility has a legal duty to provide supervision and basic care of all children in the day care facility program. In particular, staff members must provide care to promote the health and safety of the children. In addition, staff members shall not be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs when providing care for the children. There are specific staff ration requirements set forth by the Missouri Code of State Regulations. The staff ratios are dependent on the age of the children and the number of children in a group being supervised by the day care facility.
Winter weather brings sub zero temperatures to many parts of the United States including Iowa. In Laurens, Iowa, authorities found a 7 year old walking around in sub zero temperature alone with inadequate clothing. The child was found and put in protective custody. The child had walked at least a half of a mile. The boy was so cold that he couldn’t speak. If the boy had spent more time outside, he was at risk for hypothermia and even death. The boy’s parents, Eugene and Stacy Lane, were cited for child endangerment by local police and then released. The child now will be subject to proceedings by the State in which the parents will need to appear. I expect that the State of Iowa will require the parents to participate in a parenting plan in order to regain custody of the child unless there are instances of neglect and abuse from this household.
South Portland Maine firefighters found a mother and her young son unconscious in their apartment apparent victims of carbon monoxide poisoning. A heater used to keep warm after losing power is the presumed cause of the poisoning. Both mother and child initially received treatment at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, but subsequently were transported to a Boston hospital for treatment. Three residents of a second apartment unit complained of headaches and received care at Maine Medical Center. You can read more about the incident at 
An international operation to help rid the world of some child predators and pornographers reeled in 170 people around the world. The operation was called Operation Joint Hammer. 61 of those arrested were located in the United States. It is most disturbing that this is a world wide problem. Many young girls, who were captive victims of sexual abuse, were rescued in this operation.
You never know who is working in our schools as teachers, administrators, or cafeteria workers. In New Jersey, an elementary school cafeteria worker and playground monitor resigned from her position after there was an uproar in the community about her prior career choices which included being a porn star. The cafeteria worker was formerly known as Crystal Guns, an adult entertainer who has been quite popular on the Internet. She was better known for her porn appearances rather than her serving up of meat loaf in the New Jersey School System. Some parents and concerned citizens raised issues about her working in the school system.