1-year-old girl dies after being hit by car driven by father

So how does the driver get in? I realise it might be tight or even one side blocked slightly,

Well, I get in on the driver's side where there is barely enough room to squeeze in. If you want to get in on the passenger side, you'll wait until I pull out because there is literally only a few inches of clearance there.

And if you want to strap a toddler into the seat behind me, you'll also be waiting because there just isn't enough room to open the door wide enough to do so.

Don't act like what theeastisred describes is unheard of here. Everyone "squeezing in" isn't always an option.

A terrible tragedy for the family.

theeastisred: "The only reason anyone ever does anything like that, in Japan or elsewhere, is if the parking space is too tight to open the doors without moving the car first so somewhere more spacious."

So how does the driver get in? I realise it might be tight or even one side blocked slightly, but you can't tell me the result here is better than if they had squeezed in before the car was in motion or had even been started. And this is DEFINITELY not the first case we've heard of this -- we hear of it often.

the practice here of family members waiting at the end of a driveway or parking lot for the driver to pull out, THEN getting in.

The only reason anyone ever does anything like that, in Japan or elsewhere, is if the parking space is too tight to open the doors without moving the car first so somewhere more spacious.

Strangerland: it's only valid to criticize the parents if you are duly criticizing the practice here of family members waiting at the end of a driveway or parking lot for the driver to pull out, THEN getting in. And I am criticizing that. How many times do we have to read about this happening before parents realize, and sadly now these ones do, you do not start moving the vehicle until all parties are inside! You could criticize them for negligence, but despite not using common sense they haven't broken any laws, and it indeed wouldn't bring anyone back.

I am so sorry for their loss.

This story shouldn't have been reported in the first place unless it was by intent and the father was arrested. The family's life has changed for the worst already and reporting it in the media will basically alienate the family and cause a lot of hatred and criticism from those surrounding them.

Well, does somebody really need to explain to her that you do NOT take your eyes off a 1-year old "for just one second" in a parking lot??

Heck, I wouldn't even leave my wallet unattended for "just one second" in a parking lot, let alone a child.

ready to become mom and dad, know your responsibility first. felt sad for mom and dad. what about the little one? read thegodfather, use your brain and heart, avoid many misfortunes.

I feel that if the father was backing very slowly, the death to this child would not have happened.

How do you come to the conclusion he WASN'T backing very slowly? A 1 year old barely has the ability to walk without support. Being bumped even at only 1/2 kph by the car's bumper would be enough to knock the child down, hitting her head on the pavement and causing serious head trauma. Most of the damage is from the fall and hitting her head on the ground. What damage (if any) from the impact with the bumper would be negligible.

I was in church yesterday; it was Sunday. There was a small girl there running around, she wasn't even mine, but I never took my eye off her. The mother did occasionally, but I never did. Anyway after the service everyone is standing around saying their hellos and goodbyes and I feel something at my heel. I said to the guy I was speaking to: "I can feel a child behind me" so I turned my head without moving my feet to find the child lying on the floor with her head against my right foot with no sense of danger. None of the other adults had warned me that there was a child on the floor behind me but if I had stepped backwards I would have stepped on her head.

But I didn't because...

I am a good father!!

I feel that if the father was backing very slowly, the death to this child would not have happened. There is always a blind spot when backing. With all the sad feelings, yet, he at least did not kill a child of the other parents.

A sad lesson for the parents.

" quoted the girl’s mother as saying she took her eyes off her daughter for just a second "

Well, does somebody really need to explain to her that you do NOT take your eyes off a 1-year old "for just one second" in a parking lot??

"Just a second" is all it takes with toddlers. Parents haven't yet gotten used to the newfound mobility their child has attained and haven't developed that constant "what is she doing now?" mentality. Tragic. The father must be beside himself.

Terrible and sad. An accident but if only Japanese people are a little more cautious when it comes to noticing potential dangers around.

People are stupid. They need to be hammered with the truth. I guarantee you're wrong. Criticism exemplifies an important point for a life/ death problem of responsibility and thanks to bleeding hearts, accountability. Kids are not an accessory. Hold on to them.

for just a second

Its always "for just a second" ...

This is sad, even more sad is that incidents like this are common where I use to live. Utah has many of these a year. People need to be very aware of their surroundings when small kids and cars are involved. I don't know if this father will ever get over this tragic incident, RIP to the little girl. Heart goes out to the family.

Thanks Sensei

Police said the family had been planning to go shopping and quoted the girl’s mother as saying she took her eyes off her daughter for just a second.

You know, every single day on my lunch hour I see nursery school workers taking small children out for a walk in the park. One worker in charge of four to six children. What I don't see are articles about the children in their care being hit by cars because "I took my eyes off them for just a second."

Just saying.

Very well said Strangerland

It's nice that for once we haven't had a bunch of posters going on with criticism of the parents here.

I'll start. Recently my co-worker offered to drive me home, and just as we were nosing out of the parking lot, a small child darted in front of the car. I screamed "stop!" and my co-worker slammed on the brakes just in time. Guess what the mother of the child was doing? Why, standing on the street and chatting with her mama-tomo, that's what.

Nice restraint.

I guarantee that any criticism anyone has is nothing compared to what these parents are already feeling on their own. No criticism is going to help that, nor is it going to bring back their kid. And just as importantly, if reading this article doesn't cause other parents to consider their actions with their kids, no criticism of these parents is going to save anyone else's kid either.

It's nice that for once we haven't had a bunch of posters going on with criticism of the parents here.

I'll be honest, Strangerland, I started out wanting to, really I did. But this time the horror really hit home, and I couldn't. Let's hope the family gets through this without breaking up.

Rest in peace.

R.I.P.

It's nice that for once we haven't had a bunch of posters going on with criticism of the parents here.

@Lockke APR. 04, 2016 - 05:35PM JST:

wow. I'm glad to hear your son was okay.

Thanks!

RIP

What a ghastly accident! I think the mother should have carried the baby in her arms while the father was backing the car. RIP to the baby daughter.

Incidentally, this really reminds me of when my second son was 5 years old being almost run over by a backward car. I mean the car driver fortunately heard my son's moaning noise and stopped short of running over his leg but pressed his leg. Yes, he sustained only minor injuries.

wow. I'm glad to hear your son was okay. Stories like these are definitely not uncommon.

What a ghastly accident! I think the mother should have carried the baby in her arms while the father was backing the car. RIP to the baby daughter.

Incidentally, this really reminds me of when my second son was 5 years old being almost run over by a backward car. I mean the car driver fortunately heard my son's moaning noise and stopped short of running over his leg but pressed his leg. Yes, he sustained only minor injuries.

"carbon copies of this sort of article/accident aren't few and far between in Japan"

Yes, this is a CUT AND PASTE replica of an incident that was reported here on JT just a couple of months ago.

You'd have had to put me away if I had done that

It's incredibly sad but yet again I find myself having to be the negative nancy by saying that carbon copies of this sort of article/accident aren't few and far between in Japan. I wonder if the parents just waltz around life in a daze, sometimes.

Sad sad story RIP little one

Agreed. It was an accident. They SHOULD have done better but they now have to deal with their enormous mistake. I guarantee that if another child comes into their world, they will be extra cautious when driving. And it's unfortunate that they have to learn from this mistake.

I think a lot of accidents are due to laziness on all parties. We've never had an accident because we make sure that all are accounted for when things are in motion. Doesn't take too much out of your day to make sure everything's in order before you start moving a vehicle. We were taught to inspect all around our vehicles for flats/punctures/etc. before we get a driver's licence, but we don't. But when there're little ones in the area, you do! No exceptions!!!

Good for you for not having any accident occur thus far. However, accident by definition is exactly that: Accident. No matter how much you prepare for it, sometimes things dont go as you think it would. The mother was there and was supposed to be taking care of the little ones, and so the father presumably didnt check as much / notice. Granted, they COULD have done better. But it is what it is, and now they learned their lesson the hard way.

Rather than putting blame on the father, I'd rather pray that they recover from this tragic incident. I'm a father as well, and I do not think the father would be lazy to not do any precaution check before backing up, knowing he has a kid. But a lot can happen in a split second, when the mother thought she had the child in her sights.

@Lockke I understand how things can turn out horribly, and in this case, extremely. I have nieces and nephews and whenever I'm in the car, I roll down the window, and confirm that all the little ones are secured. If an adult isn't in the area, then I don't move the car. If there are little ones, I make sure they are visibly next to the car, inside the car with me, or being hand-held with an adult.

I think a lot of accidents are due to laziness on all parties. We've never had an accident because we make sure that all are accounted for when things are in motion. Doesn't take too much out of your day to make sure everything's in order before you start moving a vehicle.

We were taught to inspect all around our vehicles for flats/punctures/etc. before we get a driver's licence, but we don't. But when there're little ones in the area, you do! No exceptions!!!

RIP. Such a sad story all around.

what a tragic lesson to learn: the kids should always be inside the car, or inside the house, when the car is being moved.

I agree, read today that a grandmother killed her 2yr grand child in my home country by running over it.

RIP, to both.

Just one second can lead to tragedy and it did.

Jesus Christ.................... this breaks my heart. Poor family.. poor father. I probably will kill myself if this happens to me by accident. I dont want to put blame on the father or the mother here.. 1 year old can run pretty fast.. we dont know the situation, I'm pretty sure no father will run over his daughter on purpose. He must have been looking the other way when his daughter ran behind the car..

As for the mother, people might put the blame on her easily. However, it is practically IMPOSSIBLE for a parent to look at his child 24/7. I dont want to judge the mother as neglecting her duty. You can blink for 1 second and your toddler is out of your sight.

My only comment is that maybe they should have locked the door, not left it open.

But in any case, this is an unfortunate accident which will traumatize this young family. RIP little one.. And I hope the parents recover.