Death of 6-year-old crushed by television a 'tragic accident,' police say
The death of a 6-year-old Arlington Heights boy killed when a heavy tube television fell on top of him in the basement of his family home was a tragic accident, police said Monday.
The boy, Karl Clermont, was pronounced dead about 9:45 p.m. Sunday at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, about one after rescue workers were called to his home in the 1700 block of Portsmith Lane, on the village's far north side.
Karl was a student at Edgar Allan Poe Elementary School in Arlington Heights, police said. Candace Thompson, assistant superintendent of support services for Wheeling Township Elementary School District 21, declined to detail the school's response to the death, but said protocols are in place for the death of students and teachers.
Police said the boy was home with his aunt and a 3-year-old girl who also lives in the home when the accident occurred. The aunt, police said, was upstairs with the younger child when she heard a noise and rushed down to the basement and found Karl under the television. She called 911 and then summoned a neighbor to help pull the heavy appliance off the boy, police said. The neighbor performed CPR on Karl until paramedics arrived, according to police.
"(Karl) may have climbed up to grab something that may have been on top of the TV and the TV just fell on top of him," police Capt. Kenneth Galinksi, Jr. said.
The television, an approximately 36-inch older model tube-style, was placed on top of a stand about 18 inches tall, police Cmdr. Mike Hernandez said.
After emergency responders arrived, the boy was taken to Northwest Community Hospital with severe trauma to his head. The Cook County Medical Examiner's office ruled the death accidental from head injuries caused by the television falling on him.
Neighbor Laura Thompson said the family moved into their townhouse only three weeks ago. She said she'd known two women had moved into the house, but only recently learned of the little boy and even younger girl.
"It was so cute - the two were walking arm in arm," Thompson said of the children.
No one could be reached at the family's home Monday afternoon.
CPSC spokeswoman Arlene Flecha said such a death occurs about every two weeks. More than 90 percent of those deaths involved children 5 years old and younger. About 70 percent involved falling TVs, while about 27 percent involved furniture.
In 56 percent of the tip-over fatalities, the child was crushed by the weight of a television set, piece of furniture or other appliance. An injury to the head was the cause of death 67 percent of the time.
"The key issue is that children like climbing on furniture or can stumble against furniture," Flecha said. "That's why it's key to anchor furniture wherever children are."
Although newer flat-screen TVs typically weigh less than the generation of large-tube TVs that preceded them, the CPSC's data does not distinguish between the types of TVs involved. That's why the agency urges the same precautions with all types of TVs, Flecha said.
According to the data of the last few years, more than 22,000 children 8 years old and younger have been treated in emergency rooms for injuries related to tip-over accidents.
The CPSC has recommended a number of actions to prevent such accidents, including anchoring furniture to the floor or wall; placing TVs on low, sturdy bases or anchoring them as far back as possible on anchored furniture; keeping remote controls, toys and other items that might attract children off TV stands and furniture; keeping TV and cable cords out of reach of children; and supervising children in rooms where such measures haven't been taken.
Ÿ Daily Herald correspondent Freida Gad contributed to this report.