News The Coble Family-does anyone know about their story

mlohry

New member

• Oct 26, 2010

• #1

I am not a regular watcher of Oprah, but last night it was replaying and the Coble family was on and it was truely one of the most moving stories that I had ever seen. Their 3 kids were all killed in their minivan when a semitruck hit them from behind 3 and a half years ago. The mom and the grandma were Ok that were riding in the front seat.
Not that it really matters but does anyone know what the circumstances of their carseats were? I could only think of my 3 kids riding in the back of my van while watching this story and wondered if they would survive.
My middle son that is 6 rides in a GN harnessed in the 3rd row of our Odyssey van, would he even have a chance back there. How about my almost 8 year old in a HB TB in the middle row or my DD who is 19 mos ERF in a RA 50. Would she have lived because she would have been further from impact? Made me want to go out and buy basically a tank to put around all of them. What would you want your kids in if that happened, or would it not have mattered?

 

D

daycaremom2002

Active member

• Oct 26, 2010

• #2

Is this the same family?

 

Mae

Well-known member

• Oct 26, 2010

• #3

Previous threads on this for background info for other people who are not familiar with the story:

Hard to watch-regarding the Coble family
Update on Coble Family
Another Update on the Coble Family
Driver in Coble crash sentenced
Coble Family
Coble family was on Oprah today.

 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants

• Oct 26, 2010

• #4

Some crashes are unsurvivable regardless of what seat the child is in.

 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician

• Oct 26, 2010

• #5

This is an example of a crash that was probably not survivable by any back seat passengers. The mother and grandmother were also critically injured, though obviously they survived. I believe the grandmother was more badly hurt than the mother.

There is no indication that the children were improperly restrained.

My husband is a fireman and was at the scene of that accident (we live a few miles from the crash site). There were definitely three car seats. I think he said there were (what appeared to be) two Britax convertibles and a booster of some sort. (Don't quote me on that because it's been a while, and I might not be remembering correctly.) I believe all the children (including the youngest one) were forward-facing, but, like I said, I don't know that rear-facing would have made a difference. The back of the car was essentially pushed into the front seat.

It's nice to think that if we do everything right our kids will survive anything unscathed, but the sad reality is that there is only so much we can do. All we can do is our best, and hope that we never have to find out if it was good enough.

 

CTPDMom

Ambassador - CPS Technician

• Oct 26, 2010

• #6

chickabiddy said:

Some crashes are unsurvivable regardless of what seat the child is in.

Click to expand...

And it is my opinion (from seeing the pics) that this was one of them.

 

Aurezalia

Well-known member

• Oct 26, 2010

• #7

I've actually talked to Lori herself when we happened upon the same internet board. I believe they are ERF'ing the triplets - I assume anyone would be much more careful in the car after what happened to Kyle, Katie, and Emma.
I believe it was estimated they were hit at 80mph. One of those crashes where it just didn't matter how anyone in the backseat was restrained.

 

mlohry

New member

• Oct 26, 2010

• #8

Thanks for the links. I can't believe what they must have endured. It is so nice to think we can keep our kids protected with all the things we do but the sad reality is that we can't always.

 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician

• Oct 26, 2010

• #9

Aurezalia said:

I've actually talked to Lori herself when we happened upon the same internet board. I believe they are ERF'ing the triplets - I assume anyone would be much more careful in the car after what happened to Kyle, Katie, and Emma.

Click to expand...

A tech I work with helped them install the triplets' seats before they left the hospital. This particular tech is a HUGE ERF advocate, so I'm sure they got information on it from her, if not elsewhere, too.

 

SavsMom

New member

• Oct 26, 2010

• #10

The pictures of the van just make your heart sink

I am not a tech or an expert of any type but I also don't think rear facing would have made any difference in that accident

 

M

Mom-of-Two

New member

• Oct 26, 2010

• #11

I agree, there is no car seat that is meant to protect a child from that sort of impact in a crash- and regardless of RF of FF, or whether in a booster or harness, those seats were smashed on impact- it was not a crash they could survive.

That is the saddest story ever, it made me cry the entire time. EVERY time I put my kids in the car I buckle them tight and re-check their harness, etc and I always feel good that they are safe and secure, and I have done everything I can do to keep them protected in the event of a crash- as parents that is all we can truly do. It's horrible to think that it's all out of our control, we can do all we can on our end but there are collisions that are just not preventable.

So sad.

I think it was also sad that the driver of the semi was not a drunk driver or negligent, etc- the van was stopped at an exit ramp, and it was reported there was a curve on the highway, the semi just didn't see the stopped traffic in time to stop. At least that was my understanding of the story, and the man was a father himself, all I can think about it his guilt and living with that his entire life.

 

Cryssy Jane

New member

• Oct 26, 2010

• #12

I'm not familiar with the complete story but after watching the first youtube video, that def is a britax seat that the officer is standing over, and it looks like the shell is pretty much destroyed. I don't believe that there would have been any way to better protect these kiddos in this situation. Sadly there are certain crashes that are just not survivable and unfortunetly this looks like one. It sounds like mom and grandma were also critically injured, which means that not even the front seats were 'safe' in this accident.

 

H

HayleyCPST

New member

• Oct 26, 2010

• #13

It is such a sad story. My heart goes out to them.

There is a "happy" ending to the story. The mom gave birth to triplets a while ago. 1 boy and 2 girls. An absolute miracle. They lost 1 boy and their 2 girls and now have triplets. Amazing