By Scott A. Marks, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
Paul Sniffen, a 6-year-old boy, was finally identified as the boy who drowned in a public pool in Castro Valley, California while on an outing with his day care center. Paul was found in about 4-feet of water at the Castro Valley Swim Center, he was pronounced dead at Eden Medical Center. The Center has different pools including a shallow pool, which has a depth of about 2 1/2-feet, and a deep pool, which has a depth of about 12-feet. Paul was observed playing in the shallow pool and, sometime later, he had moved to the deeper area of the pool. It was unknown how well Paul could swim. The Sheriff’s Department is conducting an investigation regrading the circumstances of Paul’s death. If you would like to read more on this story see 6-year-old boy who drowned in public pool while on day care outing is finally identified.
New York State Police say Aaron Davies, a 2-year-old boy, drowned in an above-ground pool located in the backyard of the toddler’s residential daycare facility in Greenville, New York. Aaron and nine other children were cared for by three women at the day care, which is unlicensed. Allegedly, while the children were in the backyard, the toddler climbed the ladder leading up to the pool without being noticed and entered the pool. It is believed the toddler was underwater for 3 minutes before he was found by the adults working at the day care. Rescue personnel was called and performed CPR on the toddler until he arrived at Albany Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. If you would like to read more on this story see 
A 13-year-old boy of Bradenton, Florida was arrested for the beating and the possible rape of a 22-month-old girl in a home-based daycare facility. Heather Lovett, the 21-year-old owner of the facility, left the teenage boy in charge of the facility, Our Kids Day Care, while she took something to her boyfriend. Lovett is allegedly dating the teen’s father.
It is now against the law in Kentucky to text while driving. If you are caught texting while driving you will only get a warning. However, starting January 1, 2011, you will be fined; $25 for the fist offense and $50 for subsequent offenses. The new law prohibits drivers from sending or reading text messages, instant message and emails. The law also completely prohibits drivers under the age of 18-years-old from using cell phones. Kentucky is 1 of 10 states to ban sending text messages while driving. And roughly 30 states have bans completely prohibiting the use of cell phones for drivers under 18-years of age.
Pamela Hartley, a 56-year-old woman of Hamilton County, Ohio, was sentenced to 6 months in jail and banned from working in the childcare industry ever again. Hartley was one of two women who were accused of drugging children at a Hamilton County childcare facility.
Playgrounds are great environments for children to have fun and get exercise. However, parents need to ensure that the playground area is safe before they allow their children to play on the equipment. According to group reports, approximately 200,000 children in the United States visit the hospital after sustaining playground-injuries. Nearly 80% of playground-injuries are the result of falls, says the National Playground Safety Institute. And about 45% of those injuries are considered severe, meaning the injuries are fractures, internal injuries, concussions or dislocations.
Choking is a leading cause of injury and death in children, especially children under the age of 4-years-old. The main reason for this is because children have a tendency to put almost anything inside their mouths. The most common objects are food, toys and coins. And, although toys are labeled as choking hazards, food is not. According to a published study by Dr. Gerry Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, a child will die every 5 days in the United States from choking on food. Smith urges the government to place warning labels on foods that pose choking hazards.
David Daniel Moore, a 23-year-old daycare worker, was sentenced to almost 17 years in prison by a Multnomah County judge. Moore was charged with the molestation of two different 4-year-old girls at Angela’s Academy (or Angel’s Academy), a Northeast Portland, Oregon childcare facility.
Steven Hayashi, 52, was arrested for child endangerment and possessing a mischievous animal that causes death or great bodily injury after his pit bulls attacked and killed a 2-year-old boy in Concord, California. Authorities say the victim was the step-grandchild of Hayashi. The child was inside the family’s home with two adult relatives and a young sibling when the child wandered into the garage of them home where the pit bulls were kept. The dogs mauled the boy, he was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Outside of St. Louis Missouri, a horrible bus accident was reported that involved two school buses, a semi truck, and a SUV. Tragically, two people died as a result of this bus / semi tractor / SUV accident and many others including a number of children were injured as a result of this accident. A full investigation will be conducted by State and Local authorities to determine the cause of the accident and what measures could have been taken to avoid the accident and related personal injuries.