A Texas toddler died after being fatally crushed by a dresser she was climbing to reach a toy sitting on the top.
Helena Cochrane was reaching for a toy on top of an 80-pound antique piece of furniture when it fell on her in January of this year.
The little girl was just days away from celebrating her third birthday, according to her mother Taryn, 21, who shared her story on social media.
She said: ‘It happened so quickly and so silently, and our lives changed forever. The unimaginable happened.’
The young mom decided to share her story in the hopes of alerting other parents to the importance of anchoring furniture.
‘The guilt and shame has all but consumed me, knowing that if I had taken the precautions of anchoring this dresser, my baby would still be here.
Helena Cochrane was reaching for a toy on top of an 80-pound antique piece of furniture, seen here circled, when it fell on her
The youngster is seen here with her mother Taryn, who has since warned other parents of the risks
‘It was so unexpected and not something I would’ve ever thought about being a threat, because of how large and heavy that dresser was, as do many other parents.’
She continued: ‘I wanted to share my pain in losing my daughter from a mistake I made so that others are more cautious and aware that this very tragedy is so real.
Taryn went on to emphasize how ‘no parent should outlive their babies’, and warned other that thousands of kids die in such circumstances every year.
‘Most of the time it happens because a curious child tries to climb or pull themselves up.
‘But it takes only a second for something heavy to fall, and the consequences can be devastating.
‘I cannot express enough how important it is to secure every piece of furniture you can, especially dressers when child-proofing your home.
The little girl was just days away from celebrating her third birthday
‘Anchoring takes only a small amount of time but can make all the difference in the world.
‘If my story can help even one family avoid this kind of tragedy, then my daughter’s memory is protecting others in a way that truly matters.’
Anchoring calls for heavy furniture to be secured to wall studs using anti-tip straps, brackets or specifically designed anchors.
Such furniture like dressers, bookcases and televisions are among the most common to tip.
