There’s an old saying that has been around for years, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” However, a discarded piece of trash in Delaware saved the life of a toddler early Tuesday evening. The two year-old, who remains unidentified, plummeted from an open third-story window at around 6:30 p.m. Incredibly, the child landed safely on top of a discarded box spring that was in the back of the house.
The child was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The child is currently in stable condition. While no charges were currently being filed, the accident remains under investigation.
The incident comes a week after a Michigan teen heroically caught a child who fell from a third story apartment window.
Safekids.org offers a few tips to help parents keep their kids safe around windows.
- Properly install window guards to prevent unintentional window falls. For windows above the first floor, include an emergency release device in case of fire.
- Install window guards that adults and older children can easily open in case of emergency. Include this in your family’s fire escape plan and practice it regularly.
- Install window stops so that windows open no more than four inches.
- If you have windows that can open from both top and bottom, make a habit of opening just the top to prevent accidental falls. Keep in mind that as kids grow, they may have enough strength, dexterity and curiosity to open the bottom.
- Keep windows locked and closed when they are not being used.
- For your crawlers and climbers, move chairs, cribs and other furniture away from windows to help prevent window falls.
- Never move a child who appears to be seriously injured after a fall — call 911 and let trained medical personnel move the child with proper precautions.
