So sad... a 3yo boy from NY died at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki

[MUFFYCAT]

It is very sad tragedy and I do feel terrible for the family.
But why were the kids playing on the balcony?

I know when my 2 DD were young , I never let them on a balcony alone.

 

[Lil_Tink]

So sad..

Why can they just do the railings that are like plastic with only about a inch space at the bottom and top..Like almost a window that is about 4ft high?

 

[TDC Nala]

In the first story they cite a few other cases of little children falling from high-rise balconies, and those stories are just from Hawaii, so this is not a one-time thing. If the covered the railings in plastic, there'd still be kids trying to climb them or standing on furniture.

Small children should really be supervised in areas like this.

 

[Ziva]

It's so sad. Like someone said up thread sometimes people just don't pay as much attention when they're on vacation.

 

[cardaway]

Loving parents checking their brains at the airport and then leaving on vacation.

Just like cruises.

I wonder if anybody is push for people to boycott Hawaii over this.

 

[JVL1018]

That poor baby!
This is one of my fears..we stayed at the Contemporary a few years ago-on the 12th floor I think and I was sick to my stomach every time the kids(then 1 and 3) were on the balcony. My husband thought I was nuts, but I wouldn;t let them even lean on the railing.

Same trip we switched over to the BWV and I was sitting on the balcony when my son(1 at the time) climbed up on a table out there and even though he still probably wasn't high enough to fall I jumped up and rushed over to him, breaking my toe by hitting it on the railing in the process. @@

I would never let them out there alone..but maybe the parents could see them from the room. I know I've gone back and forth form the balcony to the room while my kids were on the balcony, to get a drink or something, knowing that they know enought not to stand on anything, but still keeping a watchful eye.
A railing 6 inches apart, I wouldn't have thought a 3 year old could fall through.

 

[DawnCt1]

Just like cruises.

I wonder if anybody is push for people to boycott Hawaii over this.

Why? Did the Hawaiian Police Dept. fail to investigate this death properly??

 

[Rock'n Robin]

JVL I perfectly understand. The first time we went to WDW we were on the 3rd floor of the Polynesian and I asked if they could do anything about the balcony rail since DS was only 2. Until now I thought I was just a crackpot. BTW they did put a piece of latice up on the balcony temporarily. But I still get nervous in places like that. We went to a Carolina Hurricanes game (hockey) 2 years ago and were in the upper deck with VERY steep stairs and every time DS (then 5) or DD#2 (then 8) wanted to go down to get a drink or something, they had to go with me or DH--I was a nervous wreck. If someone starts down steps like that I don't know what would stop them.
Robin M.

 

[Mimi Q]

That is a heartbreaking story.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

This is horrible and tragic. But preventable.

I think the parents are at fault. WHY would someone let children these ages play on a balcony unattended? They will sue and probably make a bundle, but it won't bring their child back.

MTE!

And did you see the bit at the bottom where they were asked when they were going home? The dad says "I don't know..we have to wait for Sammy." Methinks they are going to be in Hawai'i for a loooooooong time.

TOV

 

[DawnCt1]

MTE!

And did you see the bit at the bottom where they were asked when they were going home? The dad says "I don't know..we have to wait for Sammy." Methinks they are going to be in Hawai'i for a loooooooong time.

TOV

I took that to mean, they needed to wait until his body was released. Maybe not.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

That is entirely possible.

But I still wonder where on earth the parents were when they were playing unsupervised on a balcony like that.

TOV

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

That is a tragedy.

However--unatttended--umm...hello!!!! The balcony is not a sitter. Sad that they can probably sue and the hotel will probably settle b/c it will be cheaper.

As long as they have proper safety measures that do not allow a balcony door to be opened by a child--and hilton's balcony's meet proper safety codes--then the hotel isn't at fault.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I think another interesting point is the Father mentioned the little boy had just climbed Diamond Head "of his own esteem" I believe are the words the father used.
I don't know if any of you have done this, but we have and there are long sections of the path up Diamond Head that are very narrow and the railings are very strange. They offer NO protection whatsoever on that climb. Many parts of the pathway have no railing at all and the fall is much higher than 8 stories at that point.
My point being that if the parnet would let a 3 year old climb up Diamond Head with no railings in parts, and hap hazard railings in other sections, they will certainly let them play on a lanaii with no supervision.

Very sad vacation for that family.

I climbed with my 23 month old. Perhaps he meant without hand holding. I of course held my daughters hand as I'm paranoid of hights--but climbing a volcano with supervision and letting them play on a cement platform unsupervised are two completely different things. The kid didn't "fall" suddenly from the balcony--he was probably fooling around.

I have no problems with the 3yo climbing on his own on a hike. As long as the parents are right next to him.

 

[DawnCt1]

That is entirely possible.

But I still wonder where on earth the parents were when they were playing unsupervised on a balcony like that.

TOV

I wouldn't even let a six year old out there let alone a three year old. Just the thought of 8 floors up.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Now you got me worried. We are staying there in October. I wonder if they sell protection things or something portable that I can attach to the balcony myself.

(I'm the kind that stands adhered to the sliding glass door to look at the pretty view and then step back inside. A bit paranoid I am!).

Of course--we probably won't have a balcony--but won't know until check in.

 

[DawnCt1]

I climbed with my 23 month old. Perhaps he meant without hand holding. I of course held my daughters hand as I'm paranoid of hights--but climbing a volcano with supervision and letting them play on a cement platform unsupervised are two completely different things. The kid didn't "fall" suddenly from the balcony--he was probably fooling around.

I have no problems with the 3yo climbing on his own on a hike. As long as the parents are right next to him.

It was a strenuous climb with a LOT of steps but I didn't think it was particularly hazardous. We saw a lot of little kids on the trail.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

It was a strenuous climb with a LOT of steps but I didn't think it was particularly hazardous. We saw a lot of little kids on the trail.

That's what I don't get.

One part I did have my sister's then fiance carry my daughter...but for the most part.....the road I took last week up a mountain in New Mexico to go to a ski resort was 100X more precarious than DH.

However--I do wonder...are the parents using that a justification for his curiousity that led to his death?

 

[Honu]

From the Hilton site, these are what the Alii Tower railings look like.

My guess is he stuck his head & shoulders between the cement wall and the metal rail to look over and he lost his balance. Poor baby.

Those kids should never have been out there unattended.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Okay--bugging me....do they have balcony free rooms at this hotel???