The child development center is run by Nobel and it is housed inside the DOL headquarters building. Many of the children enrolled there are those of DOL employees, including our daughter. I've struggled to make sense of this tragedy ever since hearing about it yesterday. I dropped our daughter at the center this morning and I picked her up this afternoon. Everyone there is just devastated by what happened. It really is a great school, one at which the staff care deeply about all of the children. The teachers are experienced and trained to respond to events including choking. The teacher to children ratio is strictly observed, as are all other rules.

When something like this happens we look for meaning and someone to blame. But, there is no meaning here, and I don't think there's anyone to blame. Its terrible but these things just happen sometimes. I wish it hadn't happened. My heart goes out to the family. My heart also goes out to the teachers, the principal and deputy principal, and the cook. They were all there today, all mourning the loss of one of their children.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well the family is on WTOP speaking ill of the daycare before they have all the facts. I'm sorry about what happened but they are obviously looking for someone to blame based on the radio interview. Sometimes it's just a shitty thing that happens and no one is to blame.

Yeah, but sometimes someone IS to blame, and that may very well be the case here. I think it's likely the parents have more facts about what occurred than you do.

It was a meatball at daycare, not a handgun. Sometimes accidents happen. We don't need to "blame" anyone. I'm sure the daycare workers feel terrible .

It probably was not cut up small enough and the toddler shoved the entire piece in his mouth. The staff probably serve it as given vs. cutting it as many don't think you need to cut a 3 year old's food. I feel horrible for that family. It obviously was not intentional but it could have been avoided.

Anonymous wrote:Well the family is on WTOP speaking ill of the daycare before they have all the facts. I'm sorry about what happened but they are obviously looking for someone to blame based on the radio interview. Sometimes it's just a shitty thing that happens and no one is to blame.

Yeah, but sometimes someone IS to blame, and that may very well be the case here. I think it's likely the parents have more facts about what occurred than you do.

Anonymous wrote:Well the family is on WTOP speaking ill of the daycare before they have all the facts. I'm sorry about what happened but they are obviously looking for someone to blame based on the radio interview. Sometimes it's just a shitty thing that happens and no one is to blame.

Yep.

Meatballs are a common food for little kids. It sounds like a horribly tragic accident but not necessarily the fault of a food vendor or daycare for providing a meatball....

Well the family is on WTOP speaking ill of the daycare before they have all the facts. I'm sorry about what happened but they are obviously looking for someone to blame based on the radio interview. Sometimes it's just a shitty thing that happens and no one is to blame.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why were meatballs served to preschoolers?!

A three year should be capable of eating a meatball. I'm wondering if maybe there was a bone in the meat? Regardless, so heartbreaking.

Blaming the child for choking to death. What a lovely person you must be.

Np. How on earth was pp blaming the preschooler??!

They are right - three year olds should be capable of eating regular meatballs. If there was a bone, or something else in it, that does not mean the child is to "blame" - but maybe a manufacturing problem? Or just sometimes, really terrible circumstances where stars align in a terrible, unfortunate way? Tragic no matter what, and I hope there is a thorough investigation. But your raging on pp is unfounded.

I would think that a "party size" meatball, if that's what was served, would absolutely be on par with a whole grape or chunk of hot dog in terms of being a choking hazard for a child that age.

Regardless, on a thread about the choking death of a child, to remark that "a three year old should be capable of eating a meatball" sounds pretty fucking callous to me.

The comment about a three-year-old being able to eat a meatball was in reply to one of the first comments asking why preschoolers were being served meatballs. I don't think anybody is blaming the child at all. I think they are Just saying that it is a typical food that can safely be served to that age group.

This is so sad. May his/her soul RIP.

My preschool also serves meat balls with spaghetti. It just reminds us how fragile life is - so sad

Food in the shape of a ball is a choking hazard for young children. Meat is in the top 5 foods kids most commonly choke on. Maybe the kid was really hungry and didn't chew well. Maybe the meatball was still partially frozen, or there was part of a bone, or it was packed too dense as others said. Any number of things could have been wrong to cause this terrible tragedy. The medical examiner may be able to determine what happened or they may not. It's just an awful thing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why were meatballs served to preschoolers?!

A three year should be capable of eating a meatball. I'm wondering if maybe there was a bone in the meat? Regardless, so heartbreaking.

Blaming the child for choking to death. What a lovely person you must be.

Np. How on earth was pp blaming the preschooler??!

They are right - three year olds should be capable of eating regular meatballs. If there was a bone, or something else in it, that does not mean the child is to "blame" - but maybe a manufacturing problem? Or just sometimes, really terrible circumstances where stars align in a terrible, unfortunate way? Tragic no matter what, and I hope there is a thorough investigation. But your raging on pp is unfounded.

I would think that a "party size" meatball, if that's what was served, would absolutely be on par with a whole grape or chunk of hot dog in terms of being a choking hazard for a child that age.

Regardless, on a thread about the choking death of a child, to remark that "a three year old should be capable of eating a meatball" sounds pretty fucking callous to me.

I think po was just saying that the daycare isn't negligent for serving meatballs to this age group. No one is blaming the child.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why were meatballs served to preschoolers?!

A three year should be capable of eating a meatball. I'm wondering if maybe there was a bone in the meat? Regardless, so heartbreaking.

Blaming the child for choking to death. What a lovely person you must be.

Np. How on earth was pp blaming the preschooler??!

They are right - three year olds should be capable of eating regular meatballs. If there was a bone, or something else in it, that does not mean the child is to "blame" - but maybe a manufacturing problem? Or just sometimes, really terrible circumstances where stars align in a terrible, unfortunate way? Tragic no matter what, and I hope there is a thorough investigation. But your raging on pp is unfounded.

I would think that a "party size" meatball, if that's what was served, would absolutely be on par with a whole grape or chunk of hot dog in terms of being a choking hazard for a child that age.

Regardless, on a thread about the choking death of a child, to remark that "a three year old should be capable of eating a meatball" sounds pretty fucking callous to me.

My heart skipped a beat when I read this in the news this morning. I can't fathom the pain of this family. Unimaginable.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why were meatballs served to preschoolers?!

A three year should be capable of eating a meatball. I'm wondering if maybe there was a bone in the meat? Regardless, so heartbreaking.

Blaming the child for choking to death. What a lovely person you must be.

Np. How on earth was pp blaming the preschooler??!

They are right - three year olds should be capable of eating regular meatballs. If there was a bone, or something else in it, that does not mean the child is to "blame" - but maybe a manufacturing problem? Or just sometimes, really terrible circumstances where stars align in a terrible, unfortunate way? Tragic no matter what, and I hope there is a thorough investigation. But your raging on pp is unfounded.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DOL daycare provides all food.

Does anyone know whether DOL uses Good Food Company for their catering?

I was wondering the same thing. My DD used to be at a govt. daycare, although not DOL, that used Good Food. Now she is at a center in Virginia that uses Jeffery's. Meatballs are on the menu for next Monday (for the PP who questioned giving meatballs to preschoolers).

I meant to add that it is so heartbreaking and sad. I cannot even imagine.