Mother and child lost in tragic Chesapeake Bay accident, possible connection to former Lt. Governor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two lives lost in pursuit of a ball. Chances are no life jackets and the Chesapeake is freezing in early April. What was the mother thinking? A completely unnecessary and avoidable tragedy. How does someone that intelligent and accomplished do something so stupid?

I thought the same thing....why even do that for a ball? Like...go onto Amazon and order another one. What made her think yes, let’s hop in this canoe with no life jackets to grab a BALL?

If you lived on the water, you would get this. It's just what people do. Most of us have small water crafts and when things fall into the water, if you can't walk out to get it, you just jump into your kayak or whatever you have. I see people go in all the time without life jackets. It's not legal and if you get caught by the coast guard, then you would get fined. And in all of the years I've lived on the water, I've never seen anyone get into life threatening trouble.

Thing is, it is easy to get pulled out and storms come on quickly over the water. There have been a number of times that my paddle went from easy to unbelievably difficult and exhausting within a few minutes.

I'm sorry for this family. And, all I'm saying is that they probably didn't give it a second thought when going in after the ball. It's sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is awful but its also completely STUPID. It enrages me that people will be so silly and careless with themselves.

Nah, stupid is criticizing people who made a small mistake with massive awful consequences, and stupid is thinking such a thing could never happen to you.

You don’t know how close they like were, how quick and innocent this likely was. This wasn’t some KonTiki expedition. Maybe they tried reaching for the ball with an arm, a branch or a kayak paddle from the shore — but then it floated out a bit further — ok, hop in canoe to get us two or three feet closer, that’s all we need.

Then wave, current, disaster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two lives lost in pursuit of a ball. Chances are no life jackets and the Chesapeake is freezing in early April. What was the mother thinking? A completely unnecessary and avoidable tragedy. How does someone that intelligent and accomplished do something so stupid?

I thought the same thing....why even do that for a ball? Like...go onto Amazon and order another one. What made her think yes, let’s hop in this canoe with no life jackets to grab a BALL?

If you lived on the water, you would get this. It's just what people do. Most of us have small water crafts and when things fall into the water, if you can't walk out to get it, you just jump into your kayak or whatever you have. I see people go in all the time without life jackets. It's not legal and if you get caught by the coast guard, then you would get fined. And in all of the years I've lived on the water, I've never seen anyone get into life threatening trouble.

Thing is, it is easy to get pulled out and storms come on quickly over the water. There have been a number of times that my paddle went from easy to unbelievably difficult and exhausting within a few minutes.

I'm sorry for this family. And, all I'm saying is that they probably didn't give it a second thought when going in after the ball. It's sad.

+10000
All your horrid judgmental people have NO IDEA what you’re talking about. They didn’t go out kayaking. They were in a tiny calm cove at a house they weeent totally familiar with and it was a hideous accident. By all accounts they were (are) a wonderful family, beloved in their capital hill community. Of course he had to make a public statement - she’s a Kennedy and it happens at a Kennedy home.

Anyone saying nasty things here is astoundingly cruel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is awful but its also completely STUPID. It enrages me that people will be so silly and careless with themselves.

Nah, stupid is criticizing people who made a small mistake with massive awful consequences, and stupid is thinking such a thing could never happen to you.

You don’t know how close they like were, how quick and innocent this likely was. This wasn’t some KonTiki expedition. Maybe they tried reaching for the ball with an arm, a branch or a kayak paddle from the shore — but then it floated out a bit further — ok, hop in canoe to get us two or three feet closer, that’s all we need.

Then wave, current, disaster.

+1
The hubris of some of these posters!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they really are cursed.

or maybe they take unnecessary risks b/c they think they know better? Kind of like Kolbe Bryant?

What???

[Anonymous]

I feel very sorry for them. That extended family has had way more than its share of tragedy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Public service announcement: If you are ever in a canoe or other boat that flips over throwing you into the water always, always, always hold onto the canoe or boat until helps comes.
It can be risky to attempt to swim to shore. You have a greater likelihood of being seen by searchers and found if you are holding onto the canoe or boat.

Very true but the water was pretty cold. They may have held onto the canoe as long as they could. Also in wavy water it is quite possible that if they tipped the canoe wasn't right beside them when they came up and depending on how strong of a swimmer the kid was, mom may have gone for the kid versus the canoe.

I'm PP but agree that Mom probably swam for the kid. This is a very sad pair of drownings. In several of the articles it is reported that a passerby saw Mom and kid struggling
to control the canoe as they were swept out into the Bay and passerby called 911 for aid (while Mom and kid were still in the canoe.) Seas and winds were rough that day in the Bay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Such a cute family. So sad

So typical of DCUM. Level of attractiveness matters? If it was an uglier family then who cares right.

Pretty much. Being attractive confers a significant advantage in our society.

Any idea who the girl is black is? I understand the couple only had three kids.

Probably their AU pair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Such a cute family. So sad

Anyone think the husbands remarks weird?

Within 24 hours of disappearance he had FB posts up to the effect ‘they’re gone, oh well’.

What were the husbands Facebook remarks that were weird?

It just read as pragmatic to me. They only went missing the day before.

“Despite heroic efforts by the Coast Guard and many state and local authorities, the decision has now been made to suspend the active rescue effort,” David wrote in a lengthy and emotional Facebook post.

“The search that began yesterday afternoon went on throughout the night and continued all day today,” he said. “It is now dark again. It has been more than 24 hours, and the chances they have survived are impossibly small.”

“It is clear that Maeve and Gideon have passed away,” he said, adding that the search for their recovery will continue.

I’m kinda relieved that I’m not the only one who read it that way. I found the Facebook post...odd.

He's obviously sad...but also deeply angry at her careless decision. At least that's how I read it.

[Anonymous]

And his only son to boot? Yep, he's angry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is this in politics? The victims weren’t politicians. Just because they have Kennedy blood?

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And his only son to boot? Yep, he's angry.

I see two boys, not that it should matter.

I sure as shit hope you aren't implying that my daughter's lives are somehow less valuable than a son. Hardly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And his only son to boot? Yep, he's angry.

I see two boys, not that it should matter.

I sure as shit hope you aren't implying that my daughter's lives are somehow less valuable than a son. Hardly.

+1

Wtf?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And his only son to boot? Yep, he's angry.

So it would be ok if it was a daughter because he has two?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is awful but its also completely STUPID. It enrages me that people will be so silly and careless with themselves.

Nah, stupid is criticizing people who made a small mistake with massive awful consequences, and stupid is thinking such a thing could never happen to you.

You don’t know how close they like were, how quick and innocent this likely was. This wasn’t some KonTiki expedition. Maybe they tried reaching for the ball with an arm, a branch or a kayak paddle from the shore — but then it floated out a bit further — ok, hop in canoe to get us two or three feet closer, that’s all we need.

Then wave, current, disaster.

Let's be fair, PP.

Suppose that the ball had been blown far down a road and that she had decided to drive the family Jeep to recover it, with her son in the front seat and both unbuckled. Further image that their car had been struck a by a (statistically unlikely) truck that was speeding down said road, and they were both thrown from the car and killed on impact.

Would you try to justify her behavior by claiming that the rest of us just don't understand the lifestyle? That there are almost never trucks on that road? That everybody in that idyllic town drives with the top down and no seat belts?

That she chose to get in the canoe without a life jacket was foolish. That she allowed her son to get in without a life jacket was criminal:

"Effective April 1, 2010, Maryland law states that all children under the age of 13 must WEAR a United States Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Device (life jacket - Type I, II, III or V) while underway on a recreational vessel under 21 feet in length on Maryland waters."

In fact, it was probably against the law for her to be in the canoe without a life jacket for herself readily available. (Why don't people just keep life jackets stowed in their canoes?)

Life vest laws, like seat belt laws, save lives.

At the risk of sounding terribly unsympathetic, it's hard not to see this incident as yet another in a long line of unreasonable risk taking, perhaps fueled by a sense of being above society's rules: driving under the influence is illegal and puts your passenger at risk; (not seeking help for her is unforgivable); playing football without a helmet is risky, especially on skis; taking off at 8:38 pm in bad weather when you're not an instrument-rated pilot is risky; (taking your wife and sister-in-law along is inexcusable); etc.