One Very Bad Decision
(“Treading Not So Lightly,” Forensic Files)
The story of Vicky Lyons is heart-rending, about a little girl who survives being hit by a truck but spends the rest of her life beset by the effects of her injuries.
“Treading Not So Lightly,” the Forensic Files episode about the efforts of her mother, Crystal Lyons, to use amateur forensic science to find the driver’s identity, is exciting to watch. And her love for Vicky is beautiful, of course.
Still, the case in a way seems like a search for a villain where none exists. Terrible judgment contributed to the incident, but criminal intent or even ill will was nonexistent. Here’s the story:
No playground. One day in 1980, Crystal Lyons called her boss in the circulation department of the Big Spring Herald newspaper in western Texas to say she wouldn’t be coming into the office because her daughter Vicky’s babysitter was unavailable.
But he threatened her with termination, she said, so she went to work and took Vicky, age 4, with her.
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At some point, Crystal’s boss told Vicky to go play outside in the parking lot, according to what both women said on the episode. (It was filmed in 2001 when Vicky was about 25.)
Wrong suspect. By the time Crystal went outside to retrieve Vicky, it was too late. She found her lying unconscious next to the toy dishes she’d been playing with. What looked like a tire track mark ran across her face.
No one saw what happened, but the police arrested and jailed a local fish peddler and minister named J.B. Hardeman who had been seen in the vicinity around the time the accident would have taken place.
Crystal said she never believed Hardeman was the culprit. A grand jury declined to indict him after forensics showed that a suspicious spot of blood on his truck actually came from a fish, not a person.
At some point, the police decided the accident was a civil matter and stopped investigating.
Meanwhile, Vicky lay in a coma for three weeks with severe damage to her skull and one eye. When she awoke, she was unable to walk or speak.
Tire test. Here’s where the suspense starts. Crystal decided to embark on her own investigation. She surreptitiously applied shoe polish to the tires on trucks parked in the Big Springs Herald’s lot, then placed sheets of typing paper on top, rubbed a comb over them to make impressions, and saved them as evidence.
By coincidence, in 1982, Crystal saw a Time magazine story by about Pete “Sherlock” McDonald, a former Firestone designer who taught at the FBI Academy and specialized in forensic tire evidence.
He agreed to help Crystal with her investigation by comparing the tire impressions she had made to pictures of Vicky’s face taken right after the accident.
Laying blame. He determined that the marks on Vicky’s face didn’t match those from Hardeman’s vehicle, but they looked very similar to the Golden Sonic 78 tire patterns on a Ford pickup truck belonging to the Big Spring Herald, according to McDonald’s book, Tire Imprint Evidence (the link enables you to view some of the passages about Vicky Lyons for free).
The driver, whom the show never identified, later said that if he hit Vicky, he had no idea at the time. His contention seemed believable.
No one expects to see a tiny child alone in a parking lot. Many a driver in a residential neighborhood — where people are accustomed to watching out for kids — has accidentally hit a tricycle left in a driveway. Sitting down like she was, Vicky may have been even harder to see.
Also, as Forensic Files noted, the parking lot was unpaved and bumpy and the driver could have simply thought he hit a pothole. And the accident wasn’t part of any other crime — it’s not as though the truck was being used as a getaway car or that the man had any malice toward the Lyonses.
That’s why the whodunit aspect of the episode, although interesting to follow, rang a little hollow for me.
Damages award. Crystal sued the newspaper for “not supervising the parking lot properly.” That seem a little odd. The problem wasn’t the parking lot but rather that the supervisor suggested a child go outside and play there.
It reminded me a little of “the IRS brought down Al Capone” syndrome, whereby wrongdoers ultimately receive punishment — but for some ancillary offense rather than the egregious crimes.
Whatever the case, the Lyonses received a $750,000 settlement from the newspaper and used the money for the numerous surgical procedures Vicky needed to alleviate damage to her vision, hearing, and sense of balance.
Feeling vulnerable. Vicky learned to speak and walk again, although her neurological impairments remained apparent. She said having others gawk at her in public was the worst part of her ordeal.
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“[Sometimes people] ask me if I’m mentally retarded or if I had a stroke,” Vicky told Forensic Files. “I’d rather they ask me than sit there and stare.”
The episode manages to end on a positive note, revealing that Crystal Lyons, divorced from Vicky’s father, went back to school to study forensic science.
But it takes a chilling turn during the closing credits: They reveal that Vicky died in 2011 at the age of 34.
Epilogue odyssey. So what happened to Vicky in the decade between the Forensic Files interview and her death? Did her impairments continue to lessen to the extent that she felt comfortable getting out and finding more fulfillment in life?
After nosing around on the internet, I came across some information about Vicky’s later years, although a lot of it came from reader comments — hardly a verifiable source of intelligence.
I’m doing more research and will publish a reliable epilogue for next week’s post. Until then, cheers.—RR
Update: Read Part 2 of the Vicky Lyons story.
Watch the Forensic Files episode on YouTube
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I say blame the media. It’s always biased anyway.
Actually, I was hit by a car when I was in high school. I was a pedestrian, and I got a ticket for jaywalking. Of course, the driver — a teenager — was probably going too fast and not paying attention.
Sounds like compound negligence on the part of the employer, the driver and the authorities. On the other hand, it could be called the ‘blue suede shoes’ case, in which ‘you can knock me down, drive over my face…’ In other words, the police should have tried harder to connect the vehicle to the driver.
Her father died as well from a battle of cancer — his name is William and it also stated that Vicky’s mom passed as well, yet it only showed Vicky’s and her dad’s obituaries! Good luck in your endeavors — also you can Google it’s all there, no need to research unless you’re looking for other things we all aren’t aware about? The story was also just shown on forensic files today May 9th, 2017
Vicky’s mom is still alive. I was Vicky’s cousin
Glad to hear she’s still with us — thanks so much for providing an update.
Did Crystal pursue a new career in forensics?
I’m curious about that, too. No luck locating anything online. There is an obituary for Crystal’s ex-husband out there, but it only mentions Vicky, not Crystal.
No, she didn’t.
I heard she DID end up in forensics on a podcast I listen to (My Favorite Murderer).
This is such a sad tragedy that happened to a little angel (Vicky). I felt so bad for this little girl — I have 2 nieces.
And my oldest niece also was in a car accident when she was very little — the only thing I thank God for is at least I knew of a great attorney, so she was nicely compensated.
But the ending of Vicky’s story broke my heart, finding out she died recently so young.
R.I.P. Poor sweet little angel.
This story about Vicky Lyons, really touched my Heart.
She passed away at the age of 34, a full grown adult. Her father passed from cancer soon after! Google also stated her mom passed after her daughter Vicky passed as well! However, it only showed the obituaries of Vicky who was fully grown and 34 as well as her dad William from cancer! It didn’t state if Vicky passed from her old injuries sustained from her child accident — it just said she passed and that her parents passed soon after. The entire movie was on Forensic Files today actually, May 9th, 2017 just a sad, sad story!!
Nothing more to say.
Interesting how the police were quick to pin the crime on a black man in the area. Thank goodness for Crystal’s savvy investigation.
Judi, it is a good thing Crystal took the initiative — otherwise, that poor man’s life could have been ruined. Interestingly, before Charles Whitman was identified as the shooter in the University of Texas massacre (the documentary is the subject of True Crime Truant’s Oct. 20 blog post), one of the police immediately guessed that a Black Panther was the culprit. Fifty years later, racism in law enforcement persists.
http://truecrimetruant.com/index.php/2016/10/20/charles-whitman-forgotten-terror/
Yes, there are racist police. Also racist hairdressers, teachers, data processors, etc. and the racists come in ALL colors. The number of racist cops is much less than the media and movies suggest. Similar to the Second Amendment controversy. A very small amount of gun owners (or should I say people with guns) use firearms to commit crimes. So for safety, everyone is protected by taking away “privileges.” A very small amount of cops act in ways that embarrass and disgrace the uniform, so all cops are looked down upon and with a suspicious eye. Owning a firearm is a right and a major responsibility. Being a Police Officer is a duty to serve and protect the public and is a huge undertaking of responsibility. Both gun ownership and law enforcement are to be respected and undertaken only by mature and responsible people. Unfortunately, a few slip through the cracks and bring dishonor to us all. Judge the individual, not the group. Kind of like “Don’t be racist!”
Jason, thanks for writing in! I definitely see your point, and I didn’t mean to imply that all or most police officers are racists. But I think there is a double standard out there — “drunk white kids are rowdy, drunk black kids are animals” — that many of us subscribe to without thinking about it. It’s good to be aware and watch out for bias in our own actions as well as in other people’s.
@Jason Vanmeter “Yes, there are racist police. Also racist hairdressers, teachers, data processors, etc. and the racists come in ALL colors”
—
But the problem with that analogy is a hairdresser, teacher, data processor, etc. aren’t in the position to ruin and/or take someone’s life with the backing and protection of the State. Also a police officer is more likely to be racist than those other occupations because they are government employees and don’t have the pressure of free market forces. A racist hair dresser will be fired or boycotted out of business for example. Since the police are a government institution they can’t “go out of business” because of how they treat people.
Lastly, do you remember Jim Crow? That was police officers enforcing that racist law and if you say they were “just doing their job” well that excuse didn’t work for the Nazis either. I would never do or take a job that required me to treat another human being that way.
I dont think all cops are racist, but even the ones who aren’t racist can treat regular citizens with contempt.
Hear ye Hear ye! Bravo!
Totally agree. That’s the first thing I thought too. Like wow, poor little old man.
Also interesting that they refused to work the case any further because it was a “civilian matter”. Texas is so racist.
They were correct in so treating. There was no evidence that this was a crime. Only if the driver knew of the accident and fled would it be – but there’s no evidence of that.
Indeed, some would aver that were there a crime, it was that of the mother in not preventing her toddler from being in an area of obvious danger… Today I’d expect ‘child protective services’ to have such an interest with a view to potential prosecution.
Note it was NOT the employer’s responsibility to provide safe oversight – no facility was offered – but squarely the parent’s. That the employer coughed-up per insurance was likely decency in order to meet the medical costs rather than from a finding of negligence. And if the employer was deemed negligent, in my view the mother most certainly was also.
I know! That really struck me too. That old Reverend seemed the type who wouldn’t hurt a fly. What if Crystal never got those rubbings? Maybe that poor innocent man would have been convicted?
Vicky died of a brain hemorrhage in her sleep.
Chandra, thanks for writing in — very sad circumstances, but it’s still good to know she died of natural causes.
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=139680139
True. She pursued her dream of being a wrestler and probably hit her head, causing the hemorrhage.
So, so sad
Crystal’s boss should have been held accountable for sending a 4-year-old out to play in a parking lot, for any number of things could happen and of course did. She should have a larger settlement, much larger.
The child’s mother is ultimately responsible for her child, not the boss, and it’s unclear what is meant by ‘sent out’: ordered out, escorted out, what? Did the child’s mum know that’s what happened and left her there (sorry, not seen the FF episode). Mum took her there, and it seems to me that mum is largely responsible for her well-being, except in areas of proper culpability such as basic workplace safety, etc.
I agree with RR that it’s hard to see a culprit here. If one wants to apportion blame, she must take some responsibility if she’s going to make her employer responsible. As for who in fact ran the child over, it seems there’s no evidence that the person knew they had (I may be wrong), and only if there’s evidence that someone did know and failed to render help and report the accident should there be effort to identify that person. In other works, was this a ‘hit and run’? It seems not.
Everyone did seem to dance around the fact that the mother dropped the ball, too.
Indeed — and it may be that displaced guilt was the impetus for her search for ‘the culprit’ (not that anyone would say this of a devastated mother at the time of this awful accident). Like your sense, RR, the mother’s contribution to the accident — if any — and the alacrity with which she sought the perpetrator and its justification, seem to be overlooked by many commentators perhaps blindsided by the sadness of it all… That, however, doesn’t explain the legal context and why a man was suspected of ‘the crime’ and jailed. What was he jailed for? As said, it’s entirely plausible that a truck driver wouldn’t know he’d run over a toddler sitting on the ground in a car park…
Great thoughts — guilt may have motivated the ‘manhunt’ to some extent. The jailing of Hardeman didn’t make much sense. On the bright side, he went on to live a long life after he was let out.
Thank you. She should have been watching her in the parking lot, as a parking lot is not a playground.
Eva: Two points: There’s no evidence the driver knew he’d run over Vicky. In a glaring hole in mom’s ‘case’, there was no evidence the driver knew; moreover, it would take an astonishingly egregious driver to ignore a seriously injured child in a car park (ie, he would hardly expect to be blamed as negligent when a toddler was present unaccompanied in a car park with delivery vehicles…) It was an absurd claim, as police seem to conclude eventually.
Second, it was apparently the manager/supervisor, whom V had been left with by mom, who told her to play in the lot. Most careless – but I entirely agree with you that she was mom’s responsibility, not his, and it was up to her to know where her small, vulnerable child was at all times – esp in a workplace with printing machinery… and a lot with large vehicles coming and going that she might have got out to anyway, regardless of manager’s instruction. In mom’s difficult situation on this case, she had either to know V was safe and secure – preferably within sight at all times – or to leave and stuff the job ‘cos the child’s safety must come first in a hazardous workplace. No ifs, buts or maybes…
I agree, the mom ultimately brought her daughter out to the hazard zone — had it been my son at that age I would’ve been kicking myself for allowing him so far out of my sight.
Crystal was a drug addict people. My grandma was her foster mom.
And? What does this have to do with anything? She deserved to have her daughter neurologically impaired? Some drug addict, she did a damn fine job getting evidence and contacting a forensic expert for someone on drugs.
Do you also call rape victims whores, Shauna?
Well said Allie! That has no bearing on what happened to her child!
It would have a bearing if she was impaired on the day and that’s why she was apparently negligent of her child’s safety. But unless we know she was impaired I wouldn’t cite it myself. Yet it’s a plausible explanation for carelessness, to be sure.
Wow!
I have to disagree on this and I agree with the author in regard to who was ultimately responsible in this tragic event, her mother.
Vicky was also a wrestling diva for six years. So sad she passed so young, but awesome how she lived her life to the fullest and seemed to be very happy. Her Facebook page is still up and there are lots of awesome pictures of her.
Vicky Lyons from Big Springs. Her profile pic is a cougar.
I’ve seen Vicky’s story in TV (Medical Detectives). She was such a brave and pretty girl. I wish I could be so tough and clever like her mother! I searched for Vicky on facebook because I wanted to tell her how impressing her life is. I was so shocked and sad as I read that she died 2011… I wish I could give her mother a big hug and tell her how clever and strong she acted to fight for her daughter!
(I’m sorry about my English, I’m only an Optician-Student from Germany)
Thanks for writing in! I was sad to hear that Vicky Lyons had died, too! She really made the most of her short life — her colleagues and teachers at wrestling school really admired her.
Wer immer das liest, soll wissen, dass die kleine Vicky sehr viel Eindruck in der Welt hinterlassen hat – in ihrem leider sehr kurzen Leben. Ich hatte erst kürzlich von ihrer Geschichte gehört – es hat mich sehr traurig gemacht. Ich wollte ihr meine Achtung aussprechen und ihr weiterhin Mut wünschen, aber ich war geschockt als ich gelesen hatte, dass sie bereits verstorben war. Das Leben war nicht fair zu ihr, aber ihre Geschichte wird mich für immer begleiten… Ruhe in Frieden Vicky, unsere Gedanken sind bei Dir
Hope you don’t mind, but I plugged your comment into a German to English translator so I could read it — thanks so much for the nice thought about Vicky Lyons…
Anyone who reads this, should know that the small Vicky has left a lot of impression in the world – in her unfortunately very short life. I had only recently heard of her story – it made me very sad. I wanted to express my respect to her and continue to wish her courage, but I was shocked when I read that she had already passed away. Life was not fair to her, but her story will accompany me forever … Peace in Peace Vicky, our thoughts are with you
J.B. HARDEMAN, Unfortuately passed away November 13, 2013. At the age of 93.
If the child was told, in so many words, to “go play in traffic” by a company representative, and the parent was NOT informed, that company is liable. I do not know how the company got off so easily. The mother would only be responsible if she concurred with the company’s position, which I am sure she did not. Vicky’s mom, Crystal, sounds to me like a great mom who wanted to see justice done. The fact that the Big Spring Herald newspaper company did not even have the courage to publish the settlement, according to “The Forensic Files” where I saw the case, indicates that they appeared to have too much control over people’s lives and very little accountability.
Where did you see that she sued for lack of parking lot attendance? But even if so why would that seem hollow to you? How else should she go about it? If the boss suggested she go play in the parking lot, should it not be a safe supervised place then?
I believe the episode mentioned lack of supervision of the parking lot. And very good point about it needing supervision because Crystal’s boss apparently thought it was a good place for kids to play.
For Cristol, your doughter was butaful Young Lady. I’m so very sorry this had too happen too her as a small child. Please go too JW.org on your App like iPhone or iPad this will help.
Chrystal, too often we look for someone to blame; it appears as though peace officers, hairdressers, teachers and data technicians are on the receiving end of your anger. The bottom line is God called your daughter home. It would not have mattered if the babysitter was there or not; when God calls us home we may be at a beauty shop, at school, we may even be at work with mom; Chrystal, we may even be at church when God takes us home. The number of hairs on our head are all numbered and when God calls us home, we go, nothing we do will change God’s will. Stop being angry with everyone — use the tragic loss of your daughter to further God’s kingdom. Instead of cursing everyone, bless everyone by praising God for your wonderful daughter. If you were to “catch” the person, it still would not bring her back. Stop accusing everyone of being the devil; when you look in the mirror, find the blessing not the curse. Turn your grief into God’s praises; your ministry will flourish, your daughter will be honored and you will possibly be able to turn your grief into joy again. God loves you and he is waiting for you to return to him; will you or will you not? The choice is yours!
Where do you get the idea that the mom was angry with everyone? The family received a fairly small settlement that was applied to Vicky’s medical costs…which were likely exorbitant.
I agree–the guy was just the worst.
I agree that the settlement was SO SMALL compared to the pain, time, and suffering that they had endured, were enduring, and were going to endure in the future! What an insult!
Paula: Hello. While I agree we’re ultimately in God’s hands, I think we need to be careful of espousing ‘Christian fatalism’: that is, whatever happens to us must be God’s intention. There is both moral evil and foolish human agency in the world (a world created with free will to choose evil and to be foolish), as well as God’s authentic will for us – to do good and not be foolish. It cannot therefore be said that whatever happens must be God’s will and wish, and should just be accepted as that. Wickedness needs punishing here on earth; and there should be consequences for foolishness that causes others to suffer (not that ‘punishment’ should be to the degree it is where wrong is intended).
So, in this case, IF the driver knew he had caused injury, he should have stopped to help and should be punished for failure to do so. IF NOT, then this was a tragic accident and I agree that no blame is appropriate. In Crystal’s defence, the police themselves thought there was a crime involved initially. As they did, she was surely entitled to do the same? That you may have accepted this ‘accident’ as God’s will doesn’t mean she should. She was perfectly entitled to *speculate* (but not to claim) that someone had injured Vicky knowingly.
This said, I think most people in her circumstances would have viewed this as an unknown accident, with a potential for civil remedy. Crystal was possibly displacing guilt of her own carelessness onto others in attempting that, as I think it’s a highly dubious claim morally if not legally.
For Christians, then, blame and criticism of others may well be appropriate ‘cos God ‘wouldn’t have called X home’ at Y time had it not been for the wicked or foolish agency of another/others (obvious case: murderers). This isn’t to suggest that ‘blame culture’ isn’t ridiculous, nor that blame was apt in this case; but nor is ‘Christian fatalism’ when things go wrong…
Forgive me but I’m just confused about something. If it aired in 2001 how did the closing credits say she died in 2011?
The producers added that message long after the episode was originally produced and broadcast for the first time. I’m not sure whether they did that for all episodes to be shown in all markets. But the Vicky Lyons episode is so popular that I guess they wanted to provide more info.
I am saddened at the implication of “espousing fatalism.” That sounds like a doctrine no one should dabble in. Sounds as though Chrystal is being blamed for something she has been wrongly accused of too. I remember her having a strong ministry, a ministry me and my husband were blessed of. She was called to the ministry by God so, we should all be thankful and supportive of what God is doing through her ministry.
Mrs Runk: You’re not very clear what you mean (and you can’t “dabble” in Christian fatalism: it’s an outlook, not an activity), but Crystal wasn’t, and isn’t, accused of anything, but she was very arguably negligent of Vicky’s safety and deflected this by accusing others (why is it worse that she should be accused than someone else?). It’s wholly irrelevant what Crystal’s done later in life (ministry): this is about the events in and around Vicky’s situation and the FF ep. And it’s not for us all to be thankful for Crystal’s vocation. You are: that’s all that can be said.
This morning I was watching forensic files and that case of Vicky Lions aired, it was a repeat I’m sure. I wanted to share how much this case touched my heart. I was so proud of her mother Crystal. She did everything she could so that her daughter could receive the best medical care possible after she received the $750,000 from the Herald. I was saddened when I heard that the Angel Vicky died at 34 years old. I guess God had another plan for her. I wonder if Crystal received her degree in forensic science. God bless the Lyons family.
Tears. I can’t believe it. After fighting so hard, life ended for all. Why did it have to end like this? I saw this episode once a while back and again yesterday but with the closing credit informing me of her death. I am just besides myself. May god shower his mercy on the family.
The first responsable is her mother. When you are a worker mom as I am we have to have 1st, 2nd, and a 3rd option who can take care of our kids and if there’s a bad day when nobody is available you have to make the call going to work OR TAKE CARE OF YOUR KID, she heard when her boss sent Vicky to play in the parking lot what an a**** her boss and Vicky’s mom she should drop anything or whatever she was doing take her kid and go home, next day file a report with human resources against her boss and that would be It.
They will of course run over both of them the boss for let a former employee to take a baby to work knowing they are not responsibles if nothing happens to her.
I am so disgusted about nobody point a finger in a juatic terma on her mother of course she has to make sure to find the responsible her guilt didn’t let her sleep at night.
Tania: Yes, you’ll see above I agree with you that Crystal ‘got off lightly’ on the child-responsibility stakes. I think this is because commenters understandably think, and thought, that both she and Vicky had endured something traumatic such that they (commenters) didn’t want to add to it by apportioning blame. But that doesn’t change the fact that deflecting blame misguidedly to others unjustifiably is worse, as some commenters here have…
As I’ve argued, trying to blame a truck driver for an accident due to a child playing in the parking lot is – at the very least on its surface – breathtakingly unjust. Now, it was also wrong of the ‘boss’ to tell Crystal to play there – but what some fail to appreciate is that she was NOT his responsibility but Crystal’s, and that’s the bottom line here. That means that she was somewhat, if not wholly, responsible and SHOULD NOT have been deflecting blame. That she did so was to likely (i) for psychological reason – guilt; and (ii) for financial reason – medical bills (understandable).
At least this FF ep has prompted some good debate (even if some can’t see the wood for the trees…)
I think y’all need to go back and watch the episode.
Crystal’s boss clearly told Vicky to go play in the parking lot. Why didn’t the idiot just tell her to go play in traffic!
Crystal told her boss that she was leaving to go home because she didn’t feel comfortable about any of this, and he could decide what he wants to do.
Before she even got out the door her boss was already back in the office telling her that Vicky is lying in the parking lot.
She then ran out to her daughter.
So blame Crystal for what you want but her boss had no right to tell that baby to go play in the parking lot.
I just read on Ancient Faces that Vicky’s parents had another daughter who lived for only five minutes. It would be terrible to have both of your children die before you.
As a head injury survivor I find this story inspiring when I feel down of myself by asking myself “do I have a right to complain after what she bravely endured “? Now for the critics looking to blame the mother.
Once the boss allowed the mother to bring the child to work in lieu of having his employee call off, he assumed responsibility for the reasonable safety of said child as is same for every\any other person\persons visiting the facility whether for work or other reason or purpose. If you were to invite a friend to your home they are entitled to a reasonably safe environment protected against any gross negligence such as bare live electrical wires lying everywhere or a known rabid dog on the premises. Also, as a parent, not a day goes by without small instances of children momentarily leaving viewing area, this is life. As is day to day life that the boss thought it would be ok to send the child outside to play, I’m sure the thought of injury via vehicle was not at all of his mind, error on his part but not a malicious act.. just evidence that the boss was not “good” at rearing children. Accidents happen, life is complicated in its simplicity at times and sometimes horrible accidents happen. I’m sure the driver never imagined a child playing right behind his truck were he couldn’t see, nor the child in her youth had the foresight of how dangerous the place she chose to play was. Bad things happen and we as humans go on. It’s when we go on despite being knocked down so hard that true inspiration to others is born. They say in life we all die twice, once when the body shuts down and the second when one’s name passes the lips of a living soul for the last time. For those attacking the mother, due to her character and strength that she obviously possessed and distilled into her daughter, this grand spirit will live on for quit some time yet. Need proof? Just look how even her memory wall on her obituary still gets regular fresh post. Live free Vicky and thank you for the life lesson!
Thanks much for writing in with your perspective — I’m glad the story and the writeup meant something to you.
Jeff: May I suggest you need to distinguish between legal and moral responsibility (that employer putatively had). I can’t comment on potential/actual legal responsibility but I disagree that he had moral responsibility, which is almost by definition principally reserved to the parent/guardian. I consider it somewhat bedside the point even if legal responsibility applies. And even if he was foolish or negligent (morally, not legally), she was more so.
The child was not ‘invited’ nor was this a domestic property: your analogy fails. Even if it didn’t fail as analogy it remains to be shown that the inviter is responsible for the road safety of the parent’s child external to the property… so you see how variables mount up such as to render this your analogy null.
You appear to suggest that it’s unfair to blame the mother – though I can’t quite discern the point you’re making – but those with your opinion (which is divided on the mother) overlook that SHE blamed her employer and, more significantly, the alleged villain who knowingly hit and ran. Why does she get a pass on blaming others but not those of us who blame her? Is it just sentiment? You can’t have it both ways with the blame game: either both or neither are susceptible. There was no prima facie evidence that this was a hit and run, yet mom insisted it was – despite it being entirely plausible that the driver never saw the child. So perverse a claim was this – that a toddler was seriously injured and deliberately left to suffer and die (probably) – that I’m bound to think the mother was looking for a scapegoat as displaced guilt. The police themselves concluded there was no crime – no hit and run. I’m astonished that so many apparently overlook these considerations…
This was a case of a workplace accident in which the mother blamed the workplace/its drivers, and some, such as I, blame her (principally). No blame either way *need* be offered if both ‘sides’ accept this was an accident – period. But since the mother started the blame game – inaptly – it’s reasonable for others to do so also, but with a different perspective. Sentiment should play no part in this particular issue.
Perhaps we have to agree to differ.
The Mother should have been watching her while she played. A parking lot is for cars. It’s not a playground. That’s not to downplay that the driver hit her and didn’t report it, which is awful!
Well, based on the report that I read, the fault is with the boss who suggested that the four year old child “go play in traffic.” This is especially true if the mother was not aware that this was done.
‘…true if the mother was not aware’. She should’ve been aware — that’s the point. That’s a mother’s job. All these issues have been discussed. Boss does not equal child-minder. He was seemingly foolish; mom was grossly negligent in enabling him to be foolish by her non-presence and —awareness of her small child’s precariousness in a dangerous workplace. Why is this not obvious to some posters?
I haven’t read all of the comments. It is so sad that the little girl, then adult had her life ruined. I read that she died at age 34. It was awful that the person who hit her did not come forward. The mother is partly to blame because she told her child to play in a parking lot, without supervising her. A parking lot is for cars! I’m not saying that the driver should be let off the hook.
‘…true if the mother was not aware’. She should’ve been aware — that’s the point. That’s a mother’s job. All these issues have been discussed. Boss does not equal child-minder. He was seemingly foolish; mom was grossly negligent in enabling him to be foolish by her non-presence and —awareness of her small child’s precariousness in a dangerous workplace. Why is this not obvious to some posters?