Toddler killed on train track

[I.Don No]

This little boy died needlessly.

The family said through a policeman that no-one was to blame. Has the mother not heard of child reins then? I am a mother of 3 and a grandmother of 3 so I am fully aware that chidlren of this age need constant adult supervision.

This neglect is part of what is wrong with the UK today....everyone knows their rights, but can't quite remember their responsibilities.

[I.Don No]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/
Level-Crossing-Death-Two-Year-Old-Boy-Killed-
By-Train-In-Peterborough-Cambridgeshire/Article/
200909215376767?lpos=UK_News_Right_Promo_Region_0
&lid=ARTICLE_15376767_Level_Crossing_Death
%3A_Two_Year_Old_Boy_Killed_By_Train_
In_Peterborough%2C_Cambridgeshire

[Sqad]

What an excellent post which was brought to mind yesterday. At the moment, there is a influx of holiday makers, which basically means mothers fathers , children grandchildren etc. I was driving down the estate road when I could see ahead of me a family walking. All of a sudden a toddler aged about 4yrs old, ran out, across the road and I had to break to avoid him/her. I had a word for the adults, but got a "right mouthful"

Are reins not used anymore?

[jake-the-peg]

And which particular mythical period of time do you personally look back to when the summers were warmer and roses smelled sweeter and bobbies cuffed cheeky kids around the ear for scrumping apples?

Children have been poorly cared for thoughout history - perhaps you were lucky enough to be brought up in an environment where you didn't encounter it too often.

Assuming that your personal experience is symptomatic of an entire nation is ...er ..foolish

[samuelcat]

I live a few minutes from the crossing. It is a sad and tragic story. For 2 days the childs mother has been hung drawn and quartered by readers of our local paper.
Suddenly everybody is the perfect parent.
Unless you live locally then you have no idea where this line is situated or the circumstances of how the child came to be on the line.
I do agree that a parent should be responsible for their children but sometimes there can be a series of events that when put together can have tragic results.
This is one of those cases.

[I.Don No]

Jake...thank you for your comments.

I do not wear rose tinted spectacles, I am just so sad that this child had to pay for his mother's neglect. Reins are a simple answer to an age old problem and any parent, or other adult supervisor who does not use them is completely and utterly irresponsible.

[I.Don No]

dancairo....

Of course I would not say this to the parents directly but nevertheless, it needs to be said, but I wonder what planet they are on to say that no-one is to blame.

[ummmm]

These posts make me sick. Neglect is when a parents denies a child it's basic human rights.

I was walking my toddler to the shop one day and I fell up the kerb and on my face....I let go of her hand...does that make me a neglectful parent. Would reins have made a difference?

Neglect is where a child isn't being looked after, fed properly, loved, washed etc....turning your back or being distracted briefly is NOT neglect.

And no Sqad...they don't all where reins. My daughter would have a fit if I tried to make her wear them and believe me, I got scornful stares that when I was holding her hand.

[I.Don No]

Samuelcat

I do not live locally nor do I need to to know that a child of that age ALWAYS needs restraints when outside the security of their home.

[stokemaveric]

i imagine the mother of this unfortunate toddler is besides herself,but you could say the same for poor little james bulgers mother coulndt you??...quote from the above post...'' i am fully aware that children of this age need to be under constant adult supervision''...yes in an ideal world we would all love to watch our kids 24/7 but its just not possible is it?....and it would appear that railway bosses removed a lock on the gate where the little lad run through....so who is REALLY to blame here?

[ummmm]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it?

[4getmenot]

I think they just mjeant no one else I'm sure they will blame themselves every day for the rest of their lives with what ifs. Poor boy a tragic accident.

[I.Don No]

this was no accidednt. an accident is something that cannot be foreseen. Whatever happened to common sense?

[Bbbananas]

That little lad was killed about 30 miles from here, poor little thing.
A few quotes spring to mind, such as "There but for the Grace of God..." and "people in glasshouses shouldn't throw stones".... etc

In an ideal world, constant adult supervision is just that - ideal. But anyone whose had toddlers know it can take just a split second for them to break away. A little boy fascinated by trains perhaps/ A mother's momentary lapse in concentration? Who knows? But I wouldn't judge without knowing all the facts.

[samuelcat]

Just to add, the crossing gates used to have slide bolts on them. These were recently sealed open.So now the gate can just be pushed open.Not sure if it was the railways or the council. Something to do with health and safety. They were worried that someone could be trapped inside the crossing and unable to open the gate. Pretty slim chance of that, the gates have been there for over 20 years and no one ever got caught inside. Seems ironic that as soon as they changed them someone got killed.

[ummmm]

So are you presuming they read the train timetable before letting go off his hand....

Jesus...it could be as simple as dropping something and picking it up. Are you telling us I.Don No that's never happened to you?

If you say yes I will presume you are either lying or deluded....

[ummmm]

ArmyDude...no it's not...but letting go of her hand and the fact that ran off, according to I.Don No...IS..!!!!