Toddler found 'hanging from lift-up bed' in freak accident
The two-year-old boy was taken to Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham and has since made a full recovery
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A toddler has been found hanging unconscious from a lift-up bed after his neck became caught in a loop dangling from the contraption.
Charlotte Hames, 30, said she found her two-year-old son, Buddy George, "blue in the face" and unresponsive after becoming caught in the hydraulic “Ottoman-type” bed.
Ms Hames, from Kirk Hallam, Derbyshire, said: “I was in the bathroom and thought Buddy had gone quiet so I shouted up to him but got no response.
"I had a gut instinct something was wrong so rushed to our bedroom where he'd been playing and found him hanging by his neck from the bed's lifting loop.
"He was blue in the face and not breathing - I was frantic."
Buddy was taken to Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham on Monday and has since made a full recovery.
Ms Hames and her partner, Anthony Ancliff, who live in Kirk Hallam, Derbyshire and have two other small children, are warning fellow parents about the beds, which have a loop to pull the bed up on hinges revealing storage space inside.
Mr Ancliff said: "Our children mean everything to us and we couldn't imagine carrying on if anything had happened to Buddy. That's why we want to warn other parents about the potential danger caused by these lifting loops and remove them - don't take the chance.”
Derbyshire County Council’s training standards team said the bed had a one-foot loop, which is pulled to begin lifting the bed up before the hydraulics take over. They said the bed requires someone of adult height and weight to pull it down.
The council said it was investigating the incident and is speaking to the Bed Federation about suspending “the supply of similar products” as well as having the loop modified.
A statement from Bensons for Beds, who sold the bed to the family, said the family’s bed will be “collected and replaced with an alternative” and a “full investigation” will take place.
Additional reporting by Press Association
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments