Toddler dies after wandering onto I-70

[proud2BlibKansan]

By CHUCK ADAMSON of the Tribune’s staff
Published Friday, July 29, 2005

A toddler who wandered onto Interstate 70 was struck and killed by an unknown motorist last night about a mile west of the Kingdom City exit, a Missouri State Highway Patrol official said.

Cole Aaron Robison, 2, was reported missing last night from his trailer park home off Old Highway 40 about a quarter mile away in Kingdom City. Around the same time, about 8:05 p.m., drivers reported a dead child, later identified as Robison, in a westbound lane of I-70, which runs parallel with Old Highway 40.

His parents were looking for the child when they discovered the accident.

"They were searching with the neighbors when they looked on I-70 and saw the traffic was stopped," Callaway Sheriff’s Department Chief Investigator Tim Osburn said.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/2005/Jul/20050729News005.asp

[NewJeffCT]

1. oh my, how sad

as a father of a 2 year old, I can only imagine the pain his parents are feeling right now.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. They lived in a trailer park a quarter mile from an interstate

You would think they would have kept a closer eye on him.

[Redstone]

14. Do you have any kids? If so, you'd know how easy it is

for them to get out of your sight, no matter HOW MUCH you try to keep an eye on them. Then you panic, and it usually turns out to be OK, but for these parents it was the ultimate nightmare.

Let's have a bit more sympathy for the parents, please.

Redstone

[Lars39]

16. Yep, 2 year olds can book it.

Wouldn't take a determined one no time at all to cover a quarter of a mile.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. Yes I have two kids

and I watched them pretty carefully when they were little. And I can guarantee you if we lived a quarter mile from an interstate, and if there was no fence along the interstate, I would have never taken my eyes off of them when we were outside.

We lived in a rural area on a dead end street and I never let my kids play outside without watching them closely until they were 8 or 9 years old.

I have sympathy for these parents but they dropped the ball.

[Gemini Cat]

19. Thank-you, that was very well said.

I still remember the various things I got into as a child and how far I was able to travel!

[TheDebbieDee]

20. When my oldest was 3 years-old, we laid down to take a nap.

While I was still sleeping, she unlocked the door of the apartment and wandered outside - I didn't even know she knew how to unlock the doors.

If it hadn't been for a neighbor bringing her home and knocking on the door and waking me up, anything could have happened to my baby.

You don't have to be a negligent parent to have a kid get away from you!

[Ladyhawk]

22. My mother had a daycare center full of two-year-olds.

If you turn your back for a second, something is going to happen. You'd be surprised how fast they can run, how quickly they can get out of sight. They do things without thinking of the consequences because they don't have an understanding of consequences.

Let's give the parents the benefit of the doubt. Obviously, they were looking for the kid. It's very sad. :(

LH

[theHandpuppet]

36. Thank you

Kids do crazy things -- I know I wandered from home more than once, thinking I would go visit grandma, etc. It only takes a minute for a kid to get away from you.

I'm not a parent myself but I can't imagine the grief these parents must be going through.

[Arugula Latte]

53. It happens to ALL parents.

I don't care how vigilant you are. It happens.

One time I was sitting with my kids at a crowded fountain (the kind that shoots water up from a flat surface -- kids run through). My daughter (who was three at the time) was leaning up against me for a long time as I talked to my friend. Finally I turned to look at my daughter and she was gone. I had still FELT her body against me, but she wasn't there. My friend had not noticed her leave. I started panicking, trying to decide which way to go to look for her. It was very crowded and there were busy streets bordering the park. Finally, after dashing about frantically, a man asked me if I was looking for a little girl in pink. He said she'd gone over to the play structure, way across the park. Luckily she was there.

It happens. Usually parents don't pay the price, but sometimes they do. So tragic.

[shanti]

58. oh god you brougt back a

bad memory. it happened to me too, when my oldest was about 18 months old. i turned my back for a second in the kitchen and next thing my son out out the screen door. he didn't get too far, he was walking down the sidewalk and a good samaritan found him. i was a basket case afterwards thinking about what COULD have happened.

yes, it CAN happen to anyone. my heart breaks for the parents.

[Horse with no Name]

28. My mom loves to tell the story

When I was around that age I would ALWAYS find a way out the door when nobody was looking.
I always went to the neighbors house for some reason. It was across the street.
My mom wasn't irresponsible--she wouldn't even let us ride our tricycles outside.
But a persistant kid can sometimes get where they don't need to be.
Very sad for these parents.

[arwalden]

2. Horrible!

[smbolisnch]

3. OMG.

That's horrible. Poor baby....why weren't the parents watching this child?? :mad:

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. I wonder about that too

The cops are considering filing child endangerment charges.

[smbolisnch]

8. I hope they do.

It is one thing that a toddler wanders 25 feet from you, but a quarter mile to an interstate?

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. It's right smack dab in the middle

of red state hell.

[Bouncy Ball]

29. WHAT the hell does THAT have to do with anything???

Do you actually believe there are no negligent parents in blue states?

How ridiculous, I mean really. Please. Don't make this political. A toddler was hit by a car on a fucking interstate highway. That makes my blood run cold. What was your purpose in mentioning how the state voted in the last election?

Gad.

[proud2BlibKansan]

32. Have you ever been to Kingdom City, MO?

If you had, you would understand.

[Bouncy Ball]

41. No, I wouldn't, because I don't look down on people

for where they live like you obviously do.

[proud2BlibKansan]

43. You are right

I shouldn't have said what I did.

I was just so horrified when I read this story. I am torn between feeling incredibly sorry for the parents and wanting to shake them for not watching their toddler more closely.

[Bouncy Ball]

Awww.

Hey that's cool. And I really respect that you said that.

:hug: It IS horrifying.

[proud2BlibKansan]

45. Thanks - I am going to keep my eyes peeled

for updates to this story. I have a feeling we are missing some critical details. I was googling last night and one of the first stories I found was about meth labs on the rise in the Kingdom City area. They really are a major problem in rural MO and KS.

Now I will not jump to this conclusion (yet), but if it turns out these parents were less than dilligent due to 'other activities' then I say lock em up and throw away the key.

I also think I know this trailer park. If it's the one I am thinking of, it is unbelievably close to an interstate highway. I am heading that way next week and have noted the mile marker to see if it is the trailer park I am thinking of.

Thanks for the :hug:.

[Bouncy Ball]

48. If they ARE doing drugs, I agree.

That would probably be the main cause of the negligence.

[theHandpuppet]

37. Damn right

Thanks for saying what you did -- somethimes the politicizing here can go too far. Let's show a little human compassion here, folks!

[anarchy1999]

39. Thanks BB, you said it all for me.

My heart just breaks for the tragedy of the entire situation. Politics? You've got to be kidding me, how could anyone ever make this be political?

[Bouncy Ball]

40. No kidding.

That was literally a JAW dropper.

[seabeyond]

24. lets fry 'em. forget empathy, just fry the suckers

this makes me sick. we cant just be sad, see it as a horrible experience these people will be burden with the rest of their lives. that isnt good enough. oh no, in all our holier than thou superiority

just makes me sick

lets have a court yard flogging, then we can all jeer at them and tell them what horrible parents they are

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. It makes me sick too

that these parents live that close to an interstate highway and didn't keep their eyes on a TWO YEAR OLD!!

Yes they will have to live with this guilt for the rest of their lives. But their two year old son won't even get to do that.

[TheDebbieDee]

4. How sad......poor baby.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. They said they don't think the driver who hit him

even realizes it was a child. The driver didn't stop.

[smbolisnch]

10. Can you imagine

when/if that person sees the story on the news and realizes? :(

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. They may not even realize they hit a child.

Maybe they thought they hit a rock. I-70 is in horrible shape in MO. I lost my windshield on I-70 not far from this spot last year. A huge rock from out of nowhere hit it dead center.

[Solar]

21. true

They have thought it might have been a small animal. All sorts of roadkill happens out in rural highways and interstates.

Its just a horribly sad story to hear about though.

[nuxvomica]

9. Sounds like a "worst nightmare" situation

I feel terrible for the parents.

[enigami]

12. That is horrid

I drive that stretch all the time. I can't imagine anything worse for the parents and the driver.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. Yes, I drive I-70 a lot too. It is in horrid shape.

Hey are you from KC?
You ought to come to our meetups.

We even let Cardinals fans come :hi:

[sleipnir]

30. I drove it alot too, a few years back. I would always stop in KingdomCity

for cheaper gas.

Horrible, I can see that stretch in my mind now...

[MuseRider]

18. Heartbreaking.

I can't imagine how they must feel. Poor, tiny little one. Ahhh, this is simply heartbreaking.

[Lannes]

23. Lived in MO for a year

I was very surpised to see all the anti-war signs like "Peace is Patriotic" in the yards.

I-70 is awful especially in winter.Very sad,cant imagine what the family is going through

[nookiemonster]

26. At that age, they move so DAMN FAST!

My sympathies to the family.

[fortyfeetunder]

27. Not a surprise

Kids that age can bolt, I had that happen so many times with my little guy, no matter how vigilant I was....and I felt so guilty when I had to look for him.

We had an incident not too long ago where a family, living near a river, lost their toddler boy -- he was learning how to open doors, opened the back door, and his last footsteps were detected near that river, in the wintertime.

[proud2BlibKansan]

33. Another tragedy

that points out how important it is to keep watch on your kids. A simple lock on this back door would have prevented this tragedy. How sad.

[vard28]

31. Okay boys and girls, HERE...

...is an example of POOR PARENTING!




Boy, 4, Is Found Alongside Beltway
Car Bumped Child as Mother Drove Off, Police Say

By Nikita Stewart
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 28, 2005; Page B01

A Newport News (Virginia)woman, who police said abandoned her 4-year-old son on the shoulder of the Capital Beltway and then bumped him with her car as she drove off Tuesday night, was charged with felony child neglect and hit and run, Virginia State Police said.

Channoah Alece Green, 22, was arrested later that night about 90 miles away after she was involved in a two-car crash on Interstate 95 in Hanover County just north of Richmond, said Corinne Geller, a state police spokeswoman.



Channoah Alece Green was charged with hit and run and felony child neglect. (Virginia State Police - Virginia State Police)
Green, who was charged with reckless driving in that incident, is scheduled to appear in Fairfax County court today on the charges involving her son, Geller said.

"He was trying to get back in the vehicle when she struck him, and then she drove off," Geller said.

Police are still investigating, but Sgt. C.F. Kincaid said the child explained that his mother was "upset with him."

"He wasn't sitting down like he was supposed to," he said.

Go to article for more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2005/07/27/AR2005072701656_pf.html

:mad:

[proud2BlibKansan]

34. He wasn't sitting down

so she kicked him out of the car, almost ran him over and then drove 90 miles??

Let's hope his mom loses custody of this child - permanently.

[Warren DeMontague]

35. Oh my god is that tragic.

:(

[B Calm]

38. Missouri people drive way to fast on I-70!

This interstate highway is congested between St. Louis and Kansas City. Years ago they should have built 6 lanes instead of 4! The highway is in terrible shape and instead of lowering the speed they raised it to 70 mph. Try doing the speed limit on I-70 and you'll be ran over. Heavy trucks are allowed to do the same speed as cars too.

[proud2BlibKansan]

49. They also allow those

big double trailer trucks in MO. I had no idea those were banned in many states until I took a trip east. I also didn't know other states make trucks stay in the left lane and drive slower. They need laws like that in MO.

[nookiemonster]

54. I think they're called piggybacks. And yes they suck.

That's just too much shit to be hauling by one vehicle on the interstates, me thinks.

On another note, that stretch of highway has also had a problem with motorists veering over into the other lane. There was no barrier until they put chains (that's what they look like to me) between the opposing lanes. It doesn't look like an effective barrier at highway speeds.

[proud2BlibKansan]

55. I-70 is just horrible across MO

I am not looking forward to crossing it next week.

[gollygee]

42. When my daughter was 2, I remember waking up at 2 am

hearing something at the front door. It was her. She'd gotten it unlocked and almost had it open when I got to the front door. She wanted to play in the yard. It was the middle of the winter!

I can see how these things happen. It's every parent's worst nightmare and the parents *might* have been negligent but on the other hand it might just be that hte kid got away from them. They can do that.

[AngryOldDem]

56. Similar experience, too

Son, 2 at the time, noticed that a screen in our enclosed back porch was loose. Pushed it out just far enough so he could climb out. I had every other door and window in the house locked, and was about on the verge of insanity looking for him inside when a neighbor knocked on the door, with my son in his arms. He was walking down our drive toward the street. Later that afternoon, quite by chance, I noticed the screen and put 2 and 2 together to figure out how he got out of an otherwise-secure home. Some kids are quite observant and canny, and can thwart the best-laid plans of even the most watchful parent.

Yes, it's easy to immediately blame the parents when something so tragic as this happens. But there could be other facts that we don't know about, and automatically accusing them of negligence (or worse) does nothing except add to their pain.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

44. oh jesus....may the parents someday find peace & forgive themselves

[Tim4319]

46. I am a new parent. Now, I am starting to hear a lot of stories

similar to this one. My heart goes out to those families. I my daughter is 10 weeks old, but she is very active in early stages of life. I can only hope and pray that all of the precautions my wife and I are taking will not go in vein.

[Blue_Tires]

47. this doesn't quite sound like an 'accident' to me

[proud2BlibKansan]

57. Good point

A friend pointed this out to me today - She doesn't think a 2 year old would walk on to an interstate highway. She thinks someone killed this child and then put his body on the highway for a car to run over.

Something to think about.

[ecstatic]

50. how long does it take a 2 year old to walk a quarter mile

And why did he go unnoticed? Nobody stopped?

[proud2BlibKansan]

51. One of the stories I found said

the toddler was crawling. Also, it wouldn't have been dark yet when this happened. If he was crawling, the driver who hit him wouldn't have seen him. But if he was walking, I would think it would have been hard not to see him.

Oh - and a couple of the stories said the kid went a mile. But if it is the trailer park I am thinking of, it is indeed a quarter mile or less from the highway.

[Pithlet]

52. A parent's worst nightmare

That poor baby.

[burrowowl]

59. When my sister was around 18-months

and I was 6, she suddenly disapeared, since she climbed 6-foot rock she climbed 6-foot rock walls like those cliff-climbers and gave my mother and next door 60 year-old neighbor heart attacks) got lost everyone over the whole neighborhood was looking for her. I went inside to get a glass of water (summer in EL Paso is hot) I hear a whimper in the wall, I called my parents. My sister had somehow climbed into the built-in clothes hamper and took a nap so she hadn't heard us yelling.
My sister also rid my mother of a nuance neighbor and little brat for us. She was 2 and the little brat was 5, she pushed him on the slider swing like she liked, but he got frightened and started screaming. His mother came out and 'rescued' him and as she wiped his brow saying he was hot, my sister ran to the hose turned it on and pointed the hose on him to cool him off.
We were in a country house and at 5 am we hear squeals, my godchild, almost 2 in sleeping bag type jammies, had opened the window and was riding her trike, with the jammies still on and unzipped. Her mother, father and I never figured it out.

A kid gets lost for a few minutes noone finds it and it can go quite a ways while everyone is looking.

I know parents who have lost a child and they never ever get over it. My condolences to the parents.

[lonestarnot]

60. OMG This is terrible. Poor little thing, and poor driver who hit him.

So sad.:cry:

[B Calm]

61. When traffic comes to a stop on I-70 it gets really scary!

A second accident occurred at the same location at 10:01 p.m. when Logan Hearn, 24, of Holladay, Tenn., ran his Nissan pickup into the back of a tractor trailer, according to a highway patrol report.

An official with the highway patrol said the tractor-trailer was stopped with other traffic at the time because the lanes were shut down for the Robison investigation.