Toddler killed by flatscreen television

A toddler was killed when a flatscreen television came off the wall and crushed him at his home in Basildon, Essex.

Published: 2:17PM BST 07 Jul 2009

The two year old, who has not been named, was at home with his father when the television fell on top of him, knocking him unconscious.

An off-duty nurse is believed to have tried to resuscitate the little boy before paramedics arrived on the scene. The toddler was rushed to Basildon Hospital but he died of a cardiac arrest.

Joy Hale, a spokeswoman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: "We were called to an address following reports that a television had injured a boy. The impact caused him head injuries and he went into cardiac arrest.

"The boy was unconscious when we got there and he was given adrenaline and other treatment.

"A rapid response unit was sent and also an ambulance but sadly the little boy went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at Basildon Hospital.

"This was a really difficult job for those involved. They did what they could to help the boy both at the scene and on route to the hospital but sadly he died. Our thoughts are with his family."

Neighbours described how the father was sobbing as he lay his son on the grass outside his home and called for help.

Police were called to the home at 3pm on Saturday and are treating the incident as a "tragic accident."

Bill Stocks, a police spokesman, said: "We were contacted by the ambulance service with reports of the death of a two-year-old boy. He was injured at an address in Basildon at around 2pm.

"He was taken by ambulance to Basildon Hospital where he was sadly pronounced dead. Officers carried out inquiries including an examination of the address and are, at this stage, treating the death as a tragic accident.

"A post mortem examination will be carried out in due course and a file submitted to the coroner."

From: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5768479/Toddler-killed-by-flatscreen-television.html