A TWO-YEAR-OLD girl has been crushed to death by a chest of drawers in a horrifying accident at home.
Helena Cochrane from Dentons, Texas, had been climbing the open drawers to reach for a toy when the 80lb antique, more than double her weight, fell on top of her on January 8.
Helena Cochrane died after an 80lb chest of drawers fell on top of her in a horror accident at home Credit: Jam Press
Helena, 2, from Dentons, Texas, had been climbing up the drawers to reach toy Credit: Jam Press
In the month where she should have turned three, Helena’s mom Taryn, 21, is sharing her devastation and warning parents to safeguard their home after her “worst nightmare” became reality.
“An antique dresser I’ve had in my home for years with no prior issue or cause of concern fell on her after she used the drawers as steps to get a toy I had put away on the top – resulting in immediate death,” she said on social media.
“It happened so quickly and so silently, and our lives changed forever.
“The unimaginable happened. The guilt and shame has all but consumed me, knowing that if I had taken the precautions of anchoring this dresser, my baby would still be here and her sister would still have her best friend.”
Her mom Taryn, 21, has issued a desperate plea to parents and carers across the country to stop preventable child deaths Credit: Jam Press
Taryn said she and her family are suffering ‘intense and excruciating grief’ on a daily basis Credit: Jam Press
Taryn told NeedToKnow how she and the rest of her family now endure “intense and excruciating grief” on a daily basis.
“No parent should outlive their babies – especially not to preventable accidents,” she said.
“The heartbreaking truth is that furniture tip overs are far more common than most people realize.
“But it takes only a second for something heavy to fall, and the consequences can be devastating.
“I cannot express enough how important it is to secure every piece of furniture you can, especially dressers when child-proofing your home.
“Anchoring takes only a small amount of time but can make all the difference in the world.
“Keeping tempting items off high surfaces and checking the stability of older furniture can also help protect little ones.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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