Anonymous wrote:Do you really not know when you're running out of oxygen if you're asleep? It's not the kind of thing where your body would wake you up bc something is wrong?

This story is freaking me out on multiple levels.

Of course you would wake up! But the mom claims they were trapped. How did she even know to look in there?

I’m betting dad gave them too much Benadryl or something before bed.

I don’t know why anyone thinks the parents locked them in there, there would be obvious evidence of trauma on their little hands if they had beaten and scratched and screamed while locked in against their wills.

They crawled in and fell asleep and slowly succumbed to hypoxia while asleep so it was a peaceful death thank goodness, and they were with each other and go to the great beyond together so they won’t be scared.

As a former prosecutor I could see being tempted to charge the parents with endangering, but they won’t be charged because while an entirely foreseeable outcome and clearly negligent parenting, prosecutors often default to the position that the grief is punishment enough in cases like this. Little kids rarely get justice when their parents leave them in the position of falling victim to cedar chests or loaded handguns. I don’t like the practice but it’s widespread. Except where the parents are poor or bipoc and then charges much more often will be laid.

When I was a child I had a big toy chest, big enough for me and my cousin to hide inside when we were school age. But it had big gaps between the slats and the flat top didn’t seal, so there was always plenty of oxygen getting in. That’s how a child’s toy chest should be - a blanket chest is meant to be airtight and is potentially lethal to small kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This reminds me of that video that was going around a few months ago of two twins tipping over an unsecured dresser onto themselves in their room, presumably during nap time. In both cases I wonder, where the hell were the parents?!? I didn’t sleep train so I’m biased, but Jesus Christ it’s like extreme sleep training to be so disconnected from your kids when they are in their room that you don’t have a monitor, don’t check on them EVER during sleep periods, and are comfortable being so far away from them while they’re sleeping that you couldn’t even hear them screaming for their lives. It’s just totally unfathomable to me.

Read before you post?

There was no screaming, because according to the story, they fell asleep.

It said the chest was air tight so you can’t hear screams. Hmmmm a toy chest? It also said that the kids liked to wake up in the middle the night and go play, then they fall asleep somewhere random in the room. That sounds fishy as well.

Do you really not know when you're running out of oxygen if you're asleep? It's not the kind of thing where your body would wake you up bc something is wrong?

This story is freaking me out on multiple levels.

Anonymous wrote:And we are sure that the parent didn’t actually lock them in the chest and then unlock it and pretend it was an accident? Because that’s my first thought. Not that two 4 year olds- that’s like 80lb of child- got into a toy chest and couldn’t shove the lid open or yell loud enough

They didn't yell because they hopped in and fell asleep

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This reminds me of that video that was going around a few months ago of two twins tipping over an unsecured dresser onto themselves in their room, presumably during nap time. In both cases I wonder, where the hell were the parents?!? I didn’t sleep train so I’m biased, but Jesus Christ it’s like extreme sleep training to be so disconnected from your kids when they are in their room that you don’t have a monitor, don’t check on them EVER during sleep periods, and are comfortable being so far away from them while they’re sleeping that you couldn’t even hear them screaming for their lives. It’s just totally unfathomable to me.

My brother and I did this when we were 5. Mom rescued us.

That’s my point. 90% of parents would hear trapped children screaming and be within ear shot or have a monitor or whatever to assist. And no, I don’t believe at all that two kids locked in a truck would just peacefully go to sleep without a peep. Ya right.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a freak accident.

https://people.com/4-year-old-twins-die-toy-chest-shut-while-they-were-sleeping-mom-says-7965695

Sounds more like the parents just haven’t been charged yet.

“We are working with our partners at the Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause of death," police added. "At this time, we don’t know if this is an accident or if foul play is involved.” No charges have been filed as of Tuesday.”

There is something not right about this story. Or a “sound proof” cedar chest.

The real Amish cedar hope chests are meant to be completely air tight and not have any cracks or spaces at all (so moisture and moths can’t get in to your heirlooms) in addition to being really dense and heavy so I’m guessing they are pretty soundproof. And you’d lose consciousness from lack of oxygen pretty quickly since they are airtight.

There’s nothing in the article that says it’s an Amish hope chest. And wood is not sound proof.

She calls it an “old wooden cedar chest.” These have been known for years to be unsafe for kids unless the lock is taken out. We got an antique one to put in our foyer for backpacks etc. when our kids were little and knocked the lock out immediately. This has been a known safety issue for years.
https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2018/CPSC-Urges-Consumers-to-Replace-or-Remove-Latches-Locks-on-Lane-and-Virginia-Maid-Cedar-Chests-14-Deaths-Reported

Just because it's been reported, doesn't mean everyone knows or would think of it. I have a wooden toy chest in a kid room and just went and looked at it due to this OP and news story (which I hadn't previously heard). Luckily it's more like what an PP describes with a multi-inch gap (carved design) between lid and chest.

I have an old cedar chest for my comforters and have never really considered this either. I keep my kids away from it because it has sharp corners and now that I think about it the way the inside works they wouldn’t be able to get in anyway. But this post definitely has made me even more convinced it should live in my bedroom and not the linen closet/common areas.

I'm the PP and same, I was more concerned with the corners. Mine also closes in a different way. But just gives you pause about how many unintentional dangers there can be.

Didn't get far in the article when I smelled a rat.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a freak accident.

https://people.com/4-year-old-twins-die-toy-chest-shut-while-they-were-sleeping-mom-says-7965695

Sounds more like the parents just haven’t been charged yet.

“We are working with our partners at the Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause of death," police added. "At this time, we don’t know if this is an accident or if foul play is involved.” No charges have been filed as of Tuesday.”

There is something not right about this story. Or a “sound proof” cedar chest.

The real Amish cedar hope chests are meant to be completely air tight and not have any cracks or spaces at all (so moisture and moths can’t get in to your heirlooms) in addition to being really dense and heavy so I’m guessing they are pretty soundproof. And you’d lose consciousness from lack of oxygen pretty quickly since they are airtight.

There’s nothing in the article that says it’s an Amish hope chest. And wood is not sound proof.

She calls it an “old wooden cedar chest.” These have been known for years to be unsafe for kids unless the lock is taken out. We got an antique one to put in our foyer for backpacks etc. when our kids were little and knocked the lock out immediately. This has been a known safety issue for years.
https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2018/CPSC-Urges-Consumers-to-Replace-or-Remove-Latches-Locks-on-Lane-and-Virginia-Maid-Cedar-Chests-14-Deaths-Reported

Just because it's been reported, doesn't mean everyone knows or would think of it. I have a wooden toy chest in a kid room and just went and looked at it due to this OP and news story (which I hadn't previously heard). Luckily it's more like what an PP describes with a multi-inch gap (carved design) between lid and chest.

I have an old cedar chest for my comforters and have never really considered this either. I keep my kids away from it because it has sharp corners and now that I think about it the way the inside works they wouldn’t be able to get in anyway. But this post definitely has made me even more convinced it should live in my bedroom and not the linen closet/common areas.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids kicked in their dream and closed the box? Yeah right. Charges probably coming soon. This is totally unbelievable that 2 four year olds would snuggle up and sleep quietly together in a small uncomfortable box.

I can completely believe this is a tragedy like other furniture related things (dresser falling, tangled in blinds etc). But the description from the parent post was oddly specific in describing how exactly it happened. Sometimes though I think we almost want it to be something nefarious to feel like it "can't happen to us" or someone can't have such truly unimaginable bad luck.

Oddly specific for someone who wasn't there. But that article is written in an odd way as if to sow doubt about this being an accident.

Anonymous wrote:The kids kicked in their dream and closed the box? Yeah right. Charges probably coming soon. This is totally unbelievable that 2 four year olds would snuggle up and sleep quietly together in a small uncomfortable box.

I can completely believe this is a tragedy like other furniture related things (dresser falling, tangled in blinds etc). But the description from the parent post was oddly specific in describing how exactly it happened. Sometimes though I think we almost want it to be something nefarious to feel like it "can't happen to us" or someone can't have such truly unimaginable bad luck.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a freak accident.

https://people.com/4-year-old-twins-die-toy-chest-shut-while-they-were-sleeping-mom-says-7965695

Sounds more like the parents just haven’t been charged yet.

“We are working with our partners at the Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause of death," police added. "At this time, we don’t know if this is an accident or if foul play is involved.” No charges have been filed as of Tuesday.”

There is something not right about this story. Or a “sound proof” cedar chest.

The real Amish cedar hope chests are meant to be completely air tight and not have any cracks or spaces at all (so moisture and moths can’t get in to your heirlooms) in addition to being really dense and heavy so I’m guessing they are pretty soundproof. And you’d lose consciousness from lack of oxygen pretty quickly since they are airtight.

There’s nothing in the article that says it’s an Amish hope chest. And wood is not sound proof.

She calls it an “old wooden cedar chest.” These have been known for years to be unsafe for kids unless the lock is taken out. We got an antique one to put in our foyer for backpacks etc. when our kids were little and knocked the lock out immediately. This has been a known safety issue for years.
https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2018/CPSC-Urges-Consumers-to-Replace-or-Remove-Latches-Locks-on-Lane-and-Virginia-Maid-Cedar-Chests-14-Deaths-Reported

I remember the advice being that in addition to taking out the lock, you were supposed to put a different kind of hinge on it — the kind that only closes half way and the. Requires an affirmative effort to close the rest of the way. Decades ago when these chests were popular, there were a number of cases where the kid closed shit accidentally on children who were hiding there. Many kids like to find a little hidden hidey spot (I used to curl up in a corner behind a large chair and I know others who would curl up behind long drapes).

I think people have trends of liking stuff that looks old and artisan made without knowing why people moved away from these things. A decade or so ago wrought iron cribs were back in fashion — an elderly relative warned me against them because she had a baby whose wrought iron crib was struck by lightening through a window. (Baby survived only because the baby was not touching any of the crib parts—only the rubberized mattress).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a freak accident.

https://people.com/4-year-old-twins-die-toy-chest-shut-while-they-were-sleeping-mom-says-7965695

Sounds more like the parents just haven’t been charged yet.

“We are working with our partners at the Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause of death," police added. "At this time, we don’t know if this is an accident or if foul play is involved.” No charges have been filed as of Tuesday.”

There is something not right about this story. Or a “sound proof” cedar chest.

The real Amish cedar hope chests are meant to be completely air tight and not have any cracks or spaces at all (so moisture and moths can’t get in to your heirlooms) in addition to being really dense and heavy so I’m guessing they are pretty soundproof. And you’d lose consciousness from lack of oxygen pretty quickly since they are airtight.

There’s nothing in the article that says it’s an Amish hope chest. And wood is not sound proof.

She calls it an “old wooden cedar chest.” These have been known for years to be unsafe for kids unless the lock is taken out. We got an antique one to put in our foyer for backpacks etc. when our kids were little and knocked the lock out immediately. This has been a known safety issue for years.
https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2018/CPSC-Urges-Consumers-to-Replace-or-Remove-Latches-Locks-on-Lane-and-Virginia-Maid-Cedar-Chests-14-Deaths-Reported

Just because it's been reported, doesn't mean everyone knows or would think of it. I have a wooden toy chest in a kid room and just went and looked at it due to this OP and news story (which I hadn't previously heard). Luckily it's more like what an PP describes with a multi-inch gap (carved design) between lid and chest.

Wow, I never would have thought of that. I don’t have anything similar in my house - we’re still rocking the red plastic toy chest in the family room, which is definitely not airtight or leakproof in any way. But it kind of reminds me of the story of a kid playing around in and getting stuck in an old refrigerator back in the 70s and 80s.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a freak accident.

https://people.com/4-year-old-twins-die-toy-chest-shut-while-they-were-sleeping-mom-says-7965695

Sounds more like the parents just haven’t been charged yet.

“We are working with our partners at the Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause of death," police added. "At this time, we don’t know if this is an accident or if foul play is involved.” No charges have been filed as of Tuesday.”

There is something not right about this story. Or a “sound proof” cedar chest.

The real Amish cedar hope chests are meant to be completely air tight and not have any cracks or spaces at all (so moisture and moths can’t get in to your heirlooms) in addition to being really dense and heavy so I’m guessing they are pretty soundproof. And you’d lose consciousness from lack of oxygen pretty quickly since they are airtight.

There’s nothing in the article that says it’s an Amish hope chest. And wood is not sound proof.

She calls it an “old wooden cedar chest.” These have been known for years to be unsafe for kids unless the lock is taken out. We got an antique one to put in our foyer for backpacks etc. when our kids were little and knocked the lock out immediately. This has been a known safety issue for years.
https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2018/CPSC-Urges-Consumers-to-Replace-or-Remove-Latches-Locks-on-Lane-and-Virginia-Maid-Cedar-Chests-14-Deaths-Reported

So not an Amish cedar chest and not a sound proof box?

The mom is the one who called it soundproof, not me. I don’t think that’s right at all but it doesn’t matter if it’s soundproof if they fell asleep in it and didn’t realize they were trapped - they would have made any sounds anyway.