Child safety advocate warns of potential vehicle dangers
Jun 23, 2014, 5:00 AM | Updated: 5:00 am
PHOENIX — After a recent death involving the accidental self-strangulation of a 2-year-old, a child welfare advocate wants to warn parents about potential dangers that exist when they leave their children alone.
“I don’t think they are bad parents, I just don’t think they really know (or) understand the dangers,” said Amber Rollins of KidsnCars.org. “Not many people have heard of power window strangulation.”
The most recent incident involved a Virginia mother who allegedly left her child alone in the car while she styled someone’s hair. When she went out to check on the girl, she was already dead. The woman was subsequently arrested.
According to the nonprofit agency that strives to prevent the injuries and deaths of children in and around vehicles, there have been a total of 80 accidental strangulations since 1990.