Little Angels

My heart broke as soon as I read the story, and I’ve been feeling so very sad about it ever since. And I’ve been hugging my two just a little bit more than usual. And when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, another story emerged today of a similar tragedy.  I didn’t want to read the story, but I did, and I’m caught between regret because I can’t get it out of my head, and utter sadness at such desperate tragedies.

 

This week 2 children died having somehow managed to get trapped in a washing machine and tumble dryer.

 

Ollie Hebb, a 21 month old boy from Oregan (USA) died after falling into a washing machine, and getting trapped. He had been helping his mum do the washing; he used to climb up on the machine to help put the clothes in. Apparently his mum had left him alone for a few minutes, and when she went to look for him, presuming he was simply hiding in the house, but she eventually found him face down in the washing machine, submerged in water. She and a neighbour resuscitated the child, but he was so severely brain damaged he died 24 hours later in hospital.

 

In the UK, Sonny Gibson, a boy of 4 died in tumble dryer.  It is thought that he climbed into the tumble dryer and somehow managed to close the door behind him. He had been left in the care of his older brothers and sister (who range in age from 15 to 20) who had presumed he was playing hide and seek – as he so often did. When his mother returned home and realised he was missing, she raised the alarm and police and the family searched surrounding fields, but when the search moved back inside, they discovered the trapped child.

 

These are two horrendous stories that made me cry bitter tears when I read them. I cannot imagine for a second how a family deals with these events, and I daren’t even let myself think how I would.

I’ll simply say that your children are precious little things, who need you around to keep them safe. Without judgement or recrimination, I urge us all to mind our little angels.