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A mum hopes the inquest into her two-year-old daughter’s death will raise public awareness about the dangers of not securing appliances to a wall or piece of furniture.

Jasmine Cammilleri.  Image source: Facebook
Jasmine Cammilleri. Image source: Facebook

Megan Cammilleri’s daughter Jasmine died of chest injuries after a 37-inch television fell on her in the family room of their Atwell home in February 2013.

The Perth Coroner’s Court heard Ms Cammilleri describe her daughter as a “dream” child who liked to climb on things.

She said Jasmine had begun climbing on the television cabinet a couple of months before the accident.  She did not recall ever thinking it was a problem because the actual TV was not very heavy.

The inquest heard on the day of her death, Mrs Cammilleri had left Jasmine to watch a DVD while she went into an adjoining room to make a phone call and send an email.

When she heard a scream and a loud thump she rushed into the room to find Jasmine lying on her back, unresponsive, with the TV, screen up, lying over her chest.

Counsel assisting the coroner, Kate Ellson, said despite Jasmine breathing normally and showing no external signs of severe injury, her pulse ceased after she was taken to hospital.

Mrs Cammilleri said the TV was bought in 2010 and she recalled the sales assistant talking about ‘brackets’ for the television, but she thought it “sounded just like aesthetics.  We just thought ‘we’ll do it later’,” she said.  “It wasn’t of concern or a problem.  Not everyone reads the booklet.”

The inquest was told the instruction manual contained a warning recommending that the TV be attached to the floor, a wall or a desk, however Mrs Cammilleri said she did not recall ever reading the manual and it was “highly unlikely” her husband did either.

Mrs Cammilleri she said she now hoped the inquest would lead to “a bit more of an effort” was made by people selling TVs to explain the importance of securing them using straps and brackets.

“It’s not just an aesthetics concern, it’s for safety,” she said.  “It says it in the booklet, but not everybody reads that.  If it’s mentioned [that] straps or brackets are highly recommended, that would be a good thing.”

The coroner is expected to hand down her findings later this year.

Outside the inquest, Mrs Cammilleri said she hoped the inquest would stop another child dying in a similar way.

“If I can stop it happening to someone else then I will,” she said. “I just urge people to either put the TV on the wall or use the straps that you can purchase at the shops.  You could say the TV itself is not particularly heavy, but if it gets your child in the wrong spot it can be lethal.”

 

Image source:  Deposit Photos & Facebook

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  • All TV’s and heavy furniture items should have restraints on them.

    Reply

  • She seems very realistic about what she wants to achieve. Condolences to them.

    Reply

  • It’s worth reminding people that some entertainment units you can attach TVs etc to need to be attached to a solid wall.

    Reply

  • So horrendous! I’m glad that the mother decided to raise awareness on this issue.

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  • Such a tragedy for this family. I can understand why the parents didn’t really have any concerns about the tv. I remember that when my daughter was a toddler I bought a new corner unit specifically to put the tv in at a higher level so that it would be out of harms way. Even by taking precautions, if my daughter had wanted to climb up to reach it she still could have done so, so I guess sometimes you can do everything right and it still goes wrong.

    Reply

  • Very tragic story but it also raises a very important safety concern. The same safety needs need to be addressed about tall boys and the dangers they posses.

    Reply

  • I didn’t realise you could get straps to secure tvs… will have to get some before my unborn baby becomes mobile

    Reply

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