SICK TO MY STOMACH: Family we know in crash this morning, 5 yr old life-flighted

I feel like throwing up. A family with two kids who go the pre-school my daughter attends was in a crash on the highway this morning. There are only 15 kids in the pre-school, so these are friends of my daughter and we know them well. The 5 year old girl was life-flighted to OHSU (big hospital with trauma center), the mom went to our local hospital, and I was told the 3 year old boy is ok. I don't know the girl's condition at all, but they don't normally life-flight someone unless they have serious traumatic injuries.

The eerie thing is that YESTERDAY when I picked up my daughter, this family was picking up at the same time. The girl said she "wanted to see the inside of (our) car" and my daughter showed off her brand new Frontier. The girl was oohing and ahhing over it and playing with the flip-out cup holders.

As she stood at the edge of the car, I sized her up and compared her to my daughter, who is 45" and 45lbs. This girl is closer to 6 yrs old, and has tall parents (dad is about 6'5") who are large framed. I thought to myself that this girl is probably in a booster by now. She is probably several inches taller, and maybe 10lbs heavier.

My usual noseyness didn't kick in, and I didn't peek inside their car. However, I did notice that over the weekend they traded in their Honda Pilot for a Honda Civic. They commute about 50+ miles from home to work, and bring there kids here to pre-school, so they are near mom. I'm sure they wanted a smaller car to save on gas.

Judi -- they live in Dallas and commute to McMinnville. PM me and I will give you names if you think you might know them as well.

I feel so sick not knowing how they are (especially the girl), knowing she was probably in a booster, and knowing they just moved to a smaller car. It's just not fair that boosters are legal and cheap, and that higher-weight harness seats are safer and more expensive.

Many people don't even KNOW that they have options, and don't HAVE to move their child to a booster, because you can only get the more expensive seats at specialty shops, and easily-accessible chain stores are flooded with the cheap options.

Does anyone have a flier or brochure I can use to make people I know more aware of their options?

OMG, how awful! My thoughts are with the family!

My mom, stepdad, sister and Nana live in Dallas, stepdad's whole family live in McMinnville, I grew up in Sheridan until we moved to the coast.

Did it happen on Hwy. 18?

It happened on Hwy 99W south of Amity. All I know so far is that it was a 2-car accident - which can't be good on a 2-lane highway.

That poor family.

If the girl is several inches and several pounds bigger than your dd, it's likely she wouldn't have much room harnessed in the Nautilus, Frontier or Regent (my daughter is 52 inches and already an inch over the top slots of the Nautilus and Frontier, has an inch at the most in the Regent). It sucks that there aren't more options with taller top slots for bigger kids.

I just switched to a smaller car (Ford Focus from a Ford Windstar), too, and worry about the downgrade in safety. That poor, poor family.

Thoughts and prayers to their family.

I heard about an accident on 99w this morning.

OH NO! The little girl and her family is my my prayers.

I'm so sorry to hear about this family and hope that they are ok.

I will add, though, that booster seats are not just "legal", they save lives. If this child was in a booster, she was MUCH better off than if she had been in nothing, which is what you would find most 6 year old's in. It worries me when I read statements like this.

It's just not fair that boosters are legal and cheap, and that higher-weight harness seats are safer and more expensive.

Boosters are a safe mode of transporting the average sized 6 year old. Booster seats do save lives. Boosters are a GOOD thing for a child that is old enough and big enough to be in one. Let's hope and pray she was in a booster seat.

Oh my. I hope that little girl is okay. Wow.

I just found out that she died. I am numb and shaking.

:crying: OMG. My heart is breaking for the family. :crying:

OMG, my heart just sank. I am so sorry. :crying:

I am so sorry! :crying: Her family is in my prayers. I cannot even imagine the pan they are feeling right now.

Chrissy said:

I just found out that she died. I am numb and shaking.

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I'm so sorry to hear about this. Please, DON'T beat yourself up over what you might've or could've possibly said. Like tanyaandallie said -

"Boosters are a safe mode of transporting the average sized 6 year old. Booster seats do save lives. Boosters are a GOOD thing for a child that is old enough and big enough to be in one. Let's hope and pray she was in a booster seat."

Some collisions are unsurvivable based on cabin intrusion alone. It could've been the unfortunate luck that the little girl was sitting in the area closest to the impact and nothing could've changed the outcome. {{{hugs}}}

Both kids were in booster seats.

News Release from: Oregon State Police
FATAL TRAFFIC CRASH - HIGHWAY 99W SOUTH OF AMITY (PHOTO)
Posted: July 16th, 2008 1:44 PM
Photo file: http://www.flashnews.net/images/news/071608.fatal.hwy99w.amity.JPG


A five-year old child was killed and one child and an adult were injured Wednesday morning after a passenger car rear ended a flat bed pickup on Highway 99W just south of Amity.


On July 16, 2008 at approximately 7:45 a.m. 1999 Honda Civic driven by DAPHNE GREER age 31, from Independence, was traveling northbound on Highway 99W when it struck the rear of a northbound 1989 GMC flatbed pickup driven by CHRISTOPHER BRUBAKER age 33, from Sheridan. The pickup had slowed to make a left turn from the highway to a private business when it was struck from behind.


GREER received minor injuries and was transported to the Willamette Valley Medical Center in McMinnville. She was wearing safety restraints and the airbag deployed in her vehicle.


BRUBAKER received minor injuries and was not transported. He was wearing safety restraints.


A left rear passenger in the Honda, LYDIA GREER age 5, from Independence, received critical injuries and was transported by LifeFlight to OHSU hospital where she died from her injuries at approximately 9 a.m. She is the driver's daughter and was secured in a child booster seat.


A right rear passenger in the Honda, HUNTER GREER age 3, from Independence, received minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to the Willamette Valley Medical Center in McMinnville. He is the driver's son and was secured in a child booster seat.


A front passenger in the GMC, GREYSON TERMINI, age 18, from Amity, was using safety restraints and was not injured.


Oregon State Police troopers from the McMinnville Area Command office are continuing the investigation. Fire personnel from Amity and ODOT assisted at the scene.


Photograph Source: Oregon State Police


### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###

I also found this article: http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_071608_news_fatal_crash_child.6058f04c.html

She was properly restrained, but the impact looks to have been worse on the left side of the vehicle (looking at the photo, I wonder why the front end of the Civic doesn't look worse, when it was a rear-end crash; the driver's side is what looks bad).

The poor family. I don't even know them, but I feel sick to my stomach, as well. ((HUGS)) to you, Chrissy, and healing thoughts to the family.

Maybe she swerved to miss him but didn't swerve quickly enough? Or skidded sideways into him?

TerisBoys said:

Maybe she swerved to miss him but didn't swerve quickly enough? Or skidded sideways into him?

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Yeah, when I posted my wonderings, I was only looking at the tiny photo from my link; now that I looked at the pic Chrissy linked to, that totally makes sense.

*poor baby*

Thoughts and prayers for the family. And the OP.

Small car vs flatbed rarely ends up good.

I am SO SORRY.

It is so tragic.

Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry.