Toddler dies after fall at Lakers game

[dooyork]

objectively its always the parents fault,

This just isn't true, as much as you want to think you can always supervise your child and forsee any danger you can't.

No no, I agree, but no matter how much rationality you want to put into it, "They should've been watching him" is always there, sitting on the edge of the conversation, and in a way, it is always true.

The parents were idiots if they were Lakers fans.  As far as who was to blame for the accident, there's just not enough information in the story.

[Cman]

Very sad. 

[xmuscularghandix]

Why is a toddler at a Lakers game?

[Eja117]

Why is a toddler at a Lakers game?

That's nothing. I just got home from the new Harry Potter movie. The thing might give me nightmares.  Of course someone brought their one year old.

Also if people are going to sell tickets and allow toddlers they have a responsibility to make the place toddler safe. Not just point fingers that the parents didn't use hyper-vigilant Jedi senses to somehow see the future and not let the kid fall through glass. Parents can't stop the laws of physics. Ever been in a pre-school? Ever see all the bumps and bruises and cuts and scratches and occasional casts? It's not because they're bad parents. It's because that's life. When you sell a car as a family car you install safety equipment designed for child safety. If you sell something as family entertainment you do the same thing. They didn't do the whole Michael Jackson dangling from a balcony thing or the Steve Irwin dangle the kid in front of the croc thing either.

Based on what I just read and knowing what toddlers can do I'd say the toddler climbed over the barrier. That is easy to make child tamper resistant, but the NBA is probably just too cheap and callous to do it. We'll find out if they actually reflect on this and say "Is there a cheap, simple, and effective way to improve that" and then implement it. My gut says they won't.

[ACF]

Very sad. 

[xmuscularghandix]

Why is a toddler at a Lakers game?

That's nothing. I just got home from the new Harry Potter movie. The thing might give me nightmares.  Of course someone brought their one year old.

Also if people are going to sell tickets and allow toddlers they have a responsibility to make the place toddler safe. Not just point fingers that the parents didn't use hyper-vigilant Jedi senses to somehow see the future and not let the kid fall through glass. Parents can't stop the laws of physics. Ever been in a pre-school? Ever see all the bumps and bruises and cuts and scratches and occasional casts? It's not because they're bad parents. It's because that's life. When you sell a car as a family car you install safety equipment designed for child safety. If you sell something as family entertainment you do the same thing. They didn't do the whole Michael Jackson dangling from a balcony thing or the Steve Irwin dangle the kid in front of the croc thing either.

Based on what I just read and knowing what toddlers can do I'd say the toddler climbed over the barrier. That is easy to make child tamper resistant, but the NBA is probably just too cheap and callous to do it. We'll find out if they actually reflect on this and say "Is there a cheap, simple, and effective way to improve that" and then implement it. My gut says they won't.
[/quote

That’s why i went to see Harry Potter with my girl at like midnight. Nevermind toddlers being there… there was like 5 people there period.

[Brendan]

http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=32951.45

LOS ANGELES -- A police investigation was under way Monday in the death of a toddler who plunged from a third-level luxury box at Staples Center after a Los Angeles Lakers game.

The fall occurred Sunday as 2-year-old Lucas Anthony Tang was taking pictures with his family in a skybox with a glass safety barrier that varies in height but is at least several feet high, police Officer Julie Sohn said.

"Somehow the child went over the edge of the section and fell to the seating below," Sohn said.

Fire officials said boy fell 25 to 50 feet.

so sad

Geez. That's terrible.

[pearljammer10]

Theres no argument against it... You dont leave your two year old unattended in the balcony of a basketball game. Terrible situation, yes, but there are no excuses for the parents on this one.

Nonetheless, awful awful tragedy.

[PosImpos]

That's what you get for going to see the Lakers.

Oh wait, I'm sorry, was that in poor taste?


In all seriousness, this is an awful tragedy...but you ought to be really, really, really careful whenever you take a 2 year old anywhere - especially to a basketball game where your seats are right near a super high balcony.

[GranTur]

When you bring a child to a maximum capacity sporting event you need to have your eye on them at all times. There is no excuse.

Obviously a parent can't watch a child 100% of the time but at something like a Laker game you must watch them at all times. Period.

Parents' fault. Unfortunately...

[Eja117]

Theres no argument against it... You dont leave your two year old unattended in the balcony of a basketball game. Terrible situation, yes, but there are no excuses for the parents on this one.

Nonetheless, awful awful tragedy.

Nobody is making excuses for the parents. They are a guilty responsible party.  But the Lakers are being excused. They are also a guilty responsible party.  

A strong boy like mine could climb over a wall in about 2 seconds.  When places don't make any effort whatsoever to baby proof places these things happen no matter how good parents are.  When you have a 20,000 seat arena even if every parent was an above average parent eventually something would happen. Therefore if you let babies in the area you try to baby proof it or you don't let them in. Obviously that didn't happen. It was "Sure we'll take your money and let your kid sit in a dangerous place"

Parents sometimes assume things have been tested for safety rather than left dangerous. It's a bad assumption.

The local law enforcement is right to investigate and be dealing with the parents. But they need to sit with the Lakers too and not give them a free pass.

[Eja117]

That's what you get for going to see the Lakers.

Oh wait, I'm sorry, was that in poor taste?


In all seriousness, this is an awful tragedy...but you ought to be really, really, really careful whenever you take a 2 year old anywhere - especially to a basketball game where your seats are right near a super high balcony.

Which begs the question....why are they letting 2 year olds into balconies?  Oh yeah. Money. I forgot

[barefacedmonk]

Which begs the question....why are they letting 2 year olds into balconies?  Oh yeah. Money. I forgot

Staples center does not charge an admission fee for 2 year olds.

[Eja117]

Which begs the question....why are they letting 2 year olds into balconies?  Oh yeah. Money. I forgot

Staples center does not charge an admission fee for 2 year olds.

Of course not. If people had to pay for a baby sitter on top of overpriced tix, food, and parking they wouldn't go

[Celtics4ever]

I hate LA but this is a crying shame whereever it happened.  Sad to see one so young die.

A lot of parents let their kids do things that are bad though.  Climbing stuff, teasing animals at the zoo or wandering around stores.   For example, I would not let my kid watch other kids play video games like Adam Walsh did at his age.   Yeah, you can't control them all the time but a lot of people don't protect their kids at all.  I am not the best parent but I am far from the worst.  Better to over protect than borderline negligence.  As for trusting society to baby proof stuff, I held my kid's hands until they got a certain age and held them as toddlers.  It's common sense but common sense ain't common.  I bet they try a civil lawsuit out of this matter.