http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=878284
KOKOMO, Ind. (WISH) - A Kokomo family grieves for a four-year-old girl
after her grandfather accidentally ran over her.
The tragic incident happened Sunday morning in the parking lot of
Centro Cristiano Adonai Church.
Police said Jesus Martinez didn't see his four-year-old granddaughter
Beatriz Arreola standing in front of his minivan when he put the van
in drive and rolled over her.
"The four-year-old had apparently traveled to the church with an
uncle, but once church services were over she apparently went to her
grandfather's minivan and stood at the front bumper," said Sheriff
Marshall Talbert of the Howard County Sheriff's Department.
Church members of the congregation witnessed the accident. They rushed
to help get the van off Beatriz by using a jack, but by that time it
was too late.
In May of 2005, 24-Hour News 8 re****ter Gene Rodriguez did a story on
the dangers of blind-spots in larger vehicles such as, SUVs, trucks
and vans.
Since that story aired, more than 700 American children died in non-
traffic accidents on private property. So far this year there has been
116 deaths.
Janette Fennell with Kids and Cars has lobbied for legislation that
protects children.
"We know that as many as two children every week in the United States
are being backed over and killed," said Fennell.
In this most recent case, it was a front over accident. And according
to Kids in Cars between 2002 and 2006 there were 128 fatal front over
accidents in the U.S.
"Often times when you step into a vehicle you are looking inside the
vehicle and then as you take your seat look out drive forward he
probably never saw her there," said Sheriff Talbert.
Martinez tested negative for drugs and alcohol. The sheriff said this
was just a tragic accident and Martinez won't be charged.
Meantime, recent federal legislation aims to prevent these accidents
by creating rear visibility standards for vehicles, requiring the
federal government to collect data on non-traffic accidents like these
and provide educational programs about these dangers.
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