April
30, 2003
Little’s
Grandson Struck and Killed By Car in Accident
BY
MATTHEW MORIARTY: Staff Writer
The
2-year-old grandson of recently announced gubernatorial candidate George Little
died Monday morning after being struck by a car driven by his babysitter.
The
initial investigation led Highway Patrol troopers to believe the death was
accidental. The boy, George B. Little, was the son of Wes and Teresa Little of
Southern Pines.
The
accident occurred about 8:30 a.m. The boy was at his babysitter’s house on
Union Church Road about two miles west of Vass.
The
babysitter, Lawana Jones, 51, was backing up the car to get ready to leave the
house with the child, according to Trooper W.R. Ellington, the investigating
officer. The boy was inside the house with Jones’ two grown daughters.
At
some point, when she was backing the car, Ellington said, the child left the
house and walked into the path of the vehicle, which struck him.
Rescue
workers were called to the scene, and they transported the young boy to First Health
Moore Regional Hospital, from which he was to be airlifted to a hospital in
Charlotte. He died before he could be airlifted.
The
investigation into the incident continues.
The
family scheduled the funeral service for 11 a.m. today at Brown-son Memorial
Presbyterian Church, with burial in Bethesda Cemetery.
The
boy is survived by his parents; his sister, Tori E. Little; and his paternal
grandparents, George and Teena Little; and his maternal great-grandparents, Mr.
and Mrs. Thomas Scott of Mount Airy.
The
family asked that memorials go to the UNC Children’s Hospital, Chapel Hill,
N.C. 27516, the Southern Pines Volunteer Fire and Rescue, P.O. Box 2466,
Southern Pines, N.C. 28388, or to the Sandhills Children’s Center, 1280
Central Drive, Southern Pines, N.C. 28387.
The
boy’s father is an enforcement officer with the state Division of Motor
Vehicles and a volunteer firefighter with the Southern Pines Fire Department.
The
Little family is well known throughout Moore County. News of the boy’s death
spread quickly and has caused grief and shock throughout the law-enforcement
community and among legislators in Raleigh.
John
Dempsey, president of Sandhills Community College, of which George Little is the
chairman of the board, said the college will be doing something to reach out to
the Little family in its time of need. But, he said, it is too soon for anything
to be organized.
“We’re
still in a state of shock,” he said.
Dempsey
said he is close to the entire Little family.
“I
know the whole family very well. I know them and love them,” he said.
“It’s just one of those things you almost can’t talk about. It’s
incomprehensible. … Certainly we’ll do something.”
Chief
Rick Baker of the Southern Pines Fire Department said Wes Little has been a
driver for the Fire Department for 17 years. Baker and a few other firefighters
were at the hospital when the Littles arrived. Baker pledged to help the Little
family with anything they might need.
“He’s
part of our membership, so our support system is always there,” Baker said.
“Sympathy
going out to the whole family,” Moore County Sheriff Lane Carter said.
“People just don’t imagine having to go through that. It’s a tough, tough
thing. ... If they need us, we’re here for them.”
George
Little thanked everyone who has given support.
“Wes
and Teresa appreciate the support,” he said. “I appreciate the outpouring,
not only here, but throughout the state.”
Little
called the support the family received “tremendous” and said it has been a
great help in this emotional time.
September 21, 2002
Two-Year-Old
Killed in Driveway Accident
Reporter
Nancy Hauskins.
It's
a tragedy no family can imagine, a father leaving home to run errands
accidentally backs over his young daughter.
The
little girl was taken to Summit Medical Center where she later died. At
approximately quarter to one on Saturday, a two-year-old girl playing in the
front yard of her Antioch home dashed into the driveway to see her dad, while
her mother was standing near-by.
In
the words of police sergeant Jeralyn Keeter, "apparently the father was
backing up to leave and the little child was in the front of the house and
started running down the drive-way towards the back and the father accidentally
hit his daughter."
The
drive-way curves and slopes toward the back of the home, the young toddler could
not be seen as she ran past three-foot bushes into the path of the SUV. "Nobody
could've done anything differently in this situation. As you know she was two
years-old and they're below almost the level of the bumper" said Keeter.
The
little girl was crushed under the weight of a rear wheel. She died from massive
head trauma. Neighbors say she was the young couple's only child.
According
to a pastor at the couple's church the two year old was a vibrant, beautiful
little girl.
Police
say no charges are expected to be filed, only that it was a terrible accident.
November
12, 2002
Two-Year-Old
Killed By Pickup Driven By Mother
Lawton
(AP) - A two-year-old Lawton child was killed Monday after being hit by a pickup
driven by his mother.
Police say Jacob Hodges was pronounced dead at a Lawton hospital.
Police say the mother left Jacob near the front door and went to move the pickup
out of the driveway so he could ride his tricycle. But police say Jacob left the
front door and made his way behind the truck as his mother was backing it out.
Authorities say the incident is being treated as an accident.
Madera
Tribune.com
November 21, 2002
Child
rushed to hospital after driveway accident
Thursday,
November 21, 2002
By Glenna Jarvis
While
vehicles collided in the foggy Central Valley Wednesday, a toddler was injured
in a vehicle accident in North Fork when he darted out behind a moving
vehicle.
According
to the California Highway Patrol, the 2-year-old was struck by a vehicle
while the driver was backing out of a driveway.
Barbara
Works, 52, was backing her 1994 Mitsubishi onto the roadway at about 5:15 p.m.
when the boy ran into the path of her vehicle, according to the report.
"Due
to his size ... [Works] was unable to see [the boy] as he ran behind her,"
the report, issued by CHP officer R. Nazario, said. "[She] struck him and
dragged him under the vehicle."
The
child sustained severe injuries and was transported to Children's Hospital
Central California by Sierra Ambulance for treatment.
No
arrests were made.
The Arizona Republic
September 27, 2001
DAD ACCIDENTALLY DRIVES OVER TODDLER
PHOENIX - A 1-year-old boy died
Wednesday after his father ran over him with a tow truck about 8:30 a.m. outside
their home,
authorities said.
Fabian Herrera was pronounced dead at St. Joseph's
Hospital and Medical Center after the accident in the 1600 block of South 28th
Avenue.
Police believe the boy's father, Jorge Herrera,
was leaving for work and
apparently did not realize the child had followed him outside.
Los Angeles Times
September 4, 2001
TODDLER KILLED AS MOTHER BACKS CAR IN DRIVEWAY
An El Monte woman backing a car down the driveway
of her home Monday struck and killed her 21-month-old daughter, police said.
Doris Hernandez, 29, was driving just before 10
a.m. when she hit her daughter, Marily, in the 2600 block of Tyler Avenue, said
Lt. Craig Sperry of the El Monte Police Department.
The girl was rushed to an El Monte hospital but
was pronounced dead, Sperry said.
The Indy Channel.com
August 13, 2001
INDIANAPOLIS-- A 7-month-old boy died after his
father accidentally ran over him with a pickup truck, police said.
Police said that father, Mike Duncan, ran over his
son Lucas on Sunday afternoon at the southeast-side Indianapolis home of family
friends.
Duncan and his friends were playing horseshoes in
the back yard when he decided to move his truck closer to hear the radio better,
police said.
"The father had gotten into his truck and did
not see the baby, and ran over the baby," Sgt. Reginald Roney of the Marion
County Sheriff's Department said.
Police said that Duncan's wife put Lucas on a
beach towel in the yard before she took their other child inside to use a
bathroom.
Duncan told police that he did not see Lucas in
the yard.
Police said Duncan submitted to a blood test. Authorities are waiting on the
results before determining whether alcohol was a factor.
The sheriff's department said that it would turn
over its findings to the prosecutor's office, which will determine whether
charges will be filed.
The Denver Channel.Com
July 26, 2001
MOTHER RUNS OVER TODDLER IN DRIVEWAY
A Conifer mother accidentally ran over and killed
her one-year-old daughter in the driveway of the family's Jefferson County home
Wednesday afternoon, according to investigators.
One-year-old Shannon Wichael died at the scene.
The mother, Sharon Wichael, 39, had placed four of
her children, ages 4 to 11, inside the family's 1999 Chevy Suburban in the dirt
driveway of their mountain home in the 28000 block of Tallpines Lane about 1:25
p.m., authorities said.
The mother also placed Shannon's child safety seat
in the back seat, Jefferson County sheriff's detective Jacki Tallman said.
"The mother loaded her kids in the car, she
put it in reverse, and started to back out, and heard a noise outside the
vehicle," Tallman said. "It was something that caught her attention
immediately, and she realized the toddler was not in the vehicle."
Colorado State Patrol spokesman Rod Campbell said
that investigators were uncertain whether the child was standing or lying behind
the vehicle when she was hit.
"All of that is under investigation."
Campbell said.
Investigators said that alcohol didn't appear to
play a role in the accident, and friends and family members gathered Wednesday
night outside Wichael's home.
The Palm Beach Post
June 12, 2001
A 22-month-old boy remained
in serious condition Monday at Delray Medical Center after his father backed a car into him at 9 p.m.
Sunday at the Rainbow Mobile Home Park, according to a Palm Beach County
Sheriff's Office report. Ernesto Rispaldo, 24, was leaving his driveway at 2627
No. 17S S.
Military Trail in suburban West Palm Beach when his 1988 Granada struck his son,
Migueal Powell. His mother drove the boy to JFK Medical Center, and a helicopter
flew him to Delray Medical Center. Deputies don't know how the child got out of
the home. They are still investigating.
