snow tragedy

Posted by: TomP

snow tragedy - 12/31/08 03:42 AM

Dad lets kids walk away from stranded car= death
[url]http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2008/12/30/news/top_story/151787.txt
Posted by: Bear_Claw_Chris_Lapp

Re: snow tragedy - 12/31/08 12:51 PM

I love this part...

"There's no way that he could have known what was going to happen."

The man is 55 years old, how cold he NOT know how dangerous that was.

Idiot.
Posted by: benjammin

Re: snow tragedy - 12/31/08 01:41 PM

He certainly knew, he just didn't care enough to think about it.

Sometimes all you get is one chance to do the right thing, and the consequences of getting it wrong are wholly condemning.

I feel great sadness for his son, who survived, but will have to deal with leaving his sister behind to die for the rest of his life. There's no therapy for that.
Posted by: Russ

Re: snow tragedy - 12/31/08 02:22 PM

There's no getting around it, he was the adult and father; it was his job to know that walking 10 miles in a blizzard was a bad idea. He had a plan and was not going to allow current events and SA to interfere. He was focused on getting the kids to Mom and didn't rethink the plan as the situation dictated. His responsibility and he failed. He'll pay a price measured in years of guilt.
Posted by: OldBaldGuy

Re: snow tragedy - 12/31/08 02:50 PM

Let the punishment fit the crime. See how he likes walking in the cold and snow forever..
Posted by: benjammin

Re: snow tragedy - 12/31/08 07:00 PM

May none of us here ever know the pain of making such an awful mistake.
Posted by: nurit

Re: snow tragedy - 12/31/08 07:31 PM

Amen to that, Benjammin.
Posted by: OldBaldGuy

Re: snow tragedy - 12/31/08 09:30 PM

"...the pain of making such an awful mistake..."

True. But, having had to pick up more dead children/babies than I care to remember because mom and dad failed to put them in seat belts/child restraint seats, then ended up rolling the car, throwing the kids out to their death, I have a lot less sympathy for them than I used to. Make an honest mistake and kill your kid, I have all the sympathy in the world. Do something really really stupid, don't come looking for sympathy from me...
Posted by: CJK

Re: snow tragedy - 01/01/09 06:35 PM

I'm with OBG.....
Posted by: Brangdon

Re: snow tragedy - 01/01/09 06:59 PM

Originally Posted By: Russ
There's no getting around it, he was the adult and father; it was his job to know that walking 10 miles in a blizzard was a bad idea.
As ever, I'm reluctant to judge at this distance, especially as the account in that article is a bit muddled. Specifically, it says he never intended that they walk 10 miles in a blizzard. He thought the mother was going to pick them up much closer.

She denies it. The cousin said it was arranged by phone and the mother says no call was made. I think I'd want to see the phone records. Was it arranged a few days earlier and she forgot? It's hard to tell. Why was it a friend and not the mother who first contacted police?
Posted by: Russ

Re: snow tragedy - 01/01/09 07:03 PM

The kids didn't make even half way without going hypothermic. Any way you look at this it was really bad decision making.
Posted by: stargazer

Re: snow tragedy - 01/02/09 05:51 AM

This is a truly sad and tragic story. This story is even worse for me as I know most of the rescuers involved. The area is almost complete wasteland consisting of a high desert plateau with acres and acres of lava rock. The road leads to a small reservoir and a few homes. Everywhere you look you have reminders of the proceeding years of "man vs. nature" and nature has usually won. The winter maintenance on this road is almost non-existent and usually done by the local residents. Plow the road open and the wind drifts it closed again almost right behind you. Conveyance in the winter is best by a high centered four wheel drive, four wheeler, snowmobile, horseback or farm tractor. The area also straddles three counties with Blaine and Lincoln being the only ones to get into the area in the winter months. Both teams have equal response time. Radio coverage is fair and even though in the distance(25 miles?)you can see a cellular tower, coverage is usually not available. The wind is an almost constant from a slight breeze to gusts near 60 m.p.h., though the wind usually averages 5-15 m.p.h. Then there is the fact there are very few, if any, trees. IIRC the rest area mentioned in other sources is a pit toilet which is lacking heat. Temperatures were as I understand it from -8F at night to +12 in the daytime. The elevation is about 4900'.

Obviously from what I have heard no one involved was prepared (warm clothing, getting help etc.) sheltering in place would mean preparations of the kind we speak of on this forum. IMHO it was foolhardy and stupid to allow the kids to attempt to walk to their mothers. As I write this, I understand the Uncle was also arrested and likewise charged.

This story is a poignant reminder that preparations are one thing, but surviving because you have the knowledge is another.

I am going to see if I can help my friends who need it. Thanks for letting me vent.

Take care,

Stargazer
Posted by: rescueguru

Re: snow tragedy - 01/02/09 01:21 PM

+1 on all of OBGs' comments. Been there, done that, too many times. Got the PTSD to prove it, yet I still can't bring myself to retire, and I don't know why.
Posted by: OldBaldGuy

Re: snow tragedy - 01/02/09 03:34 PM

"...PTSD..."

Sorry to hear that. Like most highway cops, I long ago learned somehow, to put such things out of my mind asap. The anger at the parents lasted a lot longer...
Posted by: Russ

Re: snow tragedy - 01/02/09 07:37 PM

PTSD??
Posted by: JohnE

Re: snow tragedy - 01/02/09 07:41 PM

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, sometimes referred to as Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, which is a more accurate description in my humble opinion as it better describes the problem.

JohnE
Posted by: OldBaldGuy

Re: snow tragedy - 01/02/09 07:41 PM

Post Tramatic Stress Syndrome...
Posted by: Leigh_Ratcliffe

Re: snow tragedy - 01/02/09 08:06 PM

Not wishing to prejudice the trial etc.... but I am wondering why he has been charged with murder?

I am also wondering if there is a reason why those children walked?

If what I think is correct (and I pray that I'm wrong) then Life with out parole is about right.

Lets keep an eye on this one.
Posted by: scafool

Re: snow tragedy - 01/02/09 08:31 PM

All of the decision made in this instance seem to have been poor, starting with the decision to travel in a storm.
After getting his truck stuck it all just gets worse until it ends in tragedy.
I can not help but wonder if alcohol was involved...
Posted by: Susan

Re: snow tragedy - 01/02/09 09:10 PM

Did you notice that he sent them off wearing pajama bottoms, a coat and boots?

Daddy could not have premeditated their murder much better than this 'accident' turned out.

I hope they go with a knowledgeable jury trial on this one.

Sue
Posted by: OldBaldGuy

Re: snow tragedy - 01/02/09 09:14 PM

"...I can not help but wonder if alcohol was involved..."

Possibly. And possibly the rather crappy mindset that some divorced people get when it comes time to swap kids for the weekend/holidays/whatever. ie..."It's her weekend to have them, she can come find them!"...