CAR SEAT discussion

[Evie Ivy Over]

Wonder if they would have cleaned the car seat before taking it out for the reenactment?

 

[Hippiemomof5]

Wonder if they would have cleaned the car seat before taking it out for the reenactment?

My guess is no. Although I'm sure all of their forensic testing was done at that point. Moo.

 

[Evie Ivy Over]

I've had an ongoing problem understanding how RH was able to buckle Cooper in that car seat. Given the recent estimations of Cooper's size, I'm really at a loss to figure out how a child that size was squeezed in that seat--and with the straps at the lowest setting??

This picture gives a look from farther out than the reenactment photos of just how tight this space is. The photo is a 2012 Hyundai Tuscon, and an unnamed car seat. Where in the world did Cooper's legs go?? Something's just not right...

 

[Evie Ivy Over]

My guess is no. Although I'm sure all of their forensic testing was done at that point. Moo.

I was just a little surprised about that. When you watch forensic shows, they sometimes pull out evidence and samples that are years old for re-evaluation. It would seem the evidence would be seriously compromised for future use (if a need arose) if they're taking it out, riding it around, and subjecting it to additional elements.

 

[Hippiemomof5]

I've had an ongoing problem understanding how RH was able to buckle Cooper in that car seat. Given the recent estimations of Cooper's size, I'm really at a loss to figure out how a child that size was squeezed in that seat--and with the straps at the lowest setting??

This picture gives a look from farther out than the reenactment photos of just how tight this space is. The photo is a 2012 Hyundai Tuscon, and an unnamed car seat. Where in the world did Cooper's legs go?? Something's just not right...

View attachment 56288

That looks like a britax. Kids cross their legs or throw them up on the seat. I understand that it's a foreign concept for people who turn their kids forward facing at a year but kids really aren't uncomfortable rear facing. They're reclined, it's all they're used to, and kids are very flexible. I understand not ALL children remain happy rear facing and some parents turn their children because their children scream, get carsick, kick the seat, etc, but in general, kids remain content rear facing because it's all they've known in the car. My four year old still rear faces and never complains about it.

Here's a photo of her at about three:

 

[Evie Ivy Over]

That looks like a britax. Kids cross their legs or throw them up on the seat. I understand that it's a foreign concept for people who turn their kids forward facing at a year but kids really aren't uncomfortable rear facing. They're reclined, it's all they're used to, and kids are very flexible. I understand not ALL children remain happy rear facing and some parents turn their children because their children scream, get carsick, kick the seat, etc, but in general, kids remain content rear facing because it's all they've known in the car. My four year old still rear faces and never complains about it.

It would be interesting to know what type of personality Cooper had at almost two years old. Mine is probably just hitting Cooper's size, and he's four; he was very uncomfortable in the rear facing over a year ago; I felt bad for him to be all squished up like that--he didn't cry, but I could tell his mood changed when he got strapped in. I really wanted to keep him rear facing longer, but couldn't do it--and I have a large vehicle and the passenger seat was positioned as close to the dash as possible. It just seems weird to me, but I guess it depends on the kid.

 

[Hippiemomof5]

It would be interesting to know what type of personality Cooper had at almost two years old. Mine is probably just hitting Cooper's size, and he's four; he was very uncomfortable in the rear facing over a year ago; I felt bad for him to be all squished up like that--he didn't cry, but I could tell his mood changed when he got strapped in. I really wanted to keep him rear facing longer, but couldn't do it--and I have a large vehicle and the passenger seat was positioned as close to the dash as possible. It just seems weird to me, but I guess it depends on the kid.

I don't have the link handy but someone had posted Leanna's amazon wish list and it had a britax car seat on it, added to her list in January of this year so it's speculated that is the one bought six weeks before CH's death.

When my older kids turned forward facing, we thought they'd love it, and we looked forward to that "milestone," but their biggest complaint was there was no where for their feet. On long car rides, they would complain about their legs falling asleep, or becoming very uncomfortable from dangling and not being able to touch the floor. They were so used to being able to cross their legs and being reclined or prop their legs on the back of the seat. With the older kids, I came to realize that what I perceived as discomfort, wasn't so I just go with it with my youngest!

 

[Hippiemomof5]

I was just a little surprised about that. When you watch forensic shows, they sometimes pull out evidence and samples that are years old for re-evaluation. It would seem the evidence would be seriously compromised for future use (if a need arose) if they're taking it out, riding it around, and subjecting it to additional elements.

It's a little odd but at the same time, they were using it for evidence NOW. So it makes no sense to protect it just in case it's needed later, when they felt they needed it now to get the best results for their reenactment.

 

[Evie Ivy Over]

I don't have the link handy but someone had posted Leanna's amazon wish list and it had a britax car seat on it, added to her list in January of this year so it's speculated that is the one bought six weeks before CH's death.

When my older kids turned forward facing, we thought they'd love it, and we looked forward to that "milestone," but their biggest complaint was there was no where for their feet. On long car rides, they would complain about their legs falling asleep, or becoming very uncomfortable from dangling and not being able to touch the floor. They were so used to being able to cross their legs and being reclined or prop their legs on the back of the seat. With the older kids, I came to realize that what I perceived as discomfort, wasn't so I just go with it with my youngest!

So do you think Cooper's legs could have been in what they described as a seated position when RH took him out of the car? It seems that they would have been "frozen" in a different position because of the limited space he had available.

(As for turning the seat forward, I thought mine would hate it because of having more limited vision--he could see a lot more looking out all the windows of the SUV while facing rear--but he was actually pretty good about being forward.)

 

[DeDee]

That looks like a britax. Kids cross their legs or throw them up on the seat. I understand that it's a foreign concept for people who turn their kids forward facing at a year but kids really aren't uncomfortable rear facing. They're reclined, it's all they're used to, and kids are very flexible. I understand not ALL children remain happy rear facing and some parents turn their children because their children scream, get carsick, kick the seat, etc, but in general, kids remain content rear facing because it's all they've known in the car. My four year old still rear faces and never complains about it.

Here's a photo of her at about three:

After seeing this photo, I understand why Cooper's feet were pointing skyward.

BTW ~ Cutest sandals ever, Hippiemomof5.

 

[Evie Ivy Over]

After seeing this photo, I understand why Cooper's feet were pointing skyward.

BTW ~ Cutest sandals ever, Hippiemomof5.

She's a good girl! My boy wouldn't do that--he's not generally fussy, but with certain things............:tantrum:

 

[Hippiemomof5]

I should be packing for vacation, we leave in 24 hours, and here I am digging through my photobucket looking for car seat pics! Haha!

I found one of my youngest in her seat when she's about CH's age, her seat is more reclined here. She often sat criss cross in the seat as she is here, and even at four (she just turned four July 6), she sits this way often, but sits with her legs up like in the last photo, or thrown over the sides of her seats on occasion, or straight up with her feet on the headrest.

 

[lndigo]

Both my kids had no problem RFing at Cooper's age. My youngest is 35.75" at almost 2, and rear faces very happily. Her older sister was fine RFing until 2.5 when we had to turn her to make room in the car for another car seat.

The thing I wonder about is how hard was it to fit his torso into the infant seat with the straps at the lowest setting. Were they so lazy they never raised them? RFing the straps should be at or below the shoulders, but you are supposed to use the closest appropriate slots. Or did they lower them recently?

 

[Evie Ivy Over]

I should be packing for vacation, we leave in 24 hours, and here I am digging through my photobucket looking for car seat pics! Haha!

I found one of my youngest in her seat when she's about CH's age, her seat is more reclined here. She often sat criss cross in the seat as she is here, and even at four (she just turned four July 6), she sits this way often, but sits with her legs up like in the last photo, or thrown over the sides of her seats on occasion, or straight up with her feet on the headrest.

Have a wonderful vacation!

 

[Hippiemomof5]

Have a wonderful vacation!

Thank you Evie! We leave in five hours... Everything is packed, I'm just doing laundry now, I hate leaving any dirty clothes behind. lol So I didn't get far behind slacking off last night.

 

[tlcya]

My problem is not the rear facing per se. It is the going forward facing and then returning to the rear facing seat that was too small and not recommended for his height per sworn testimony.

That's my hang up. Rear facing forward facing. The rules are changing and people can be unfamiliar with them. but that move? That change? and the straps not being set at the proper height for a child who was even larger child who had technically outgrown it? Problem for me.

 

[lndigo]

It's bizarre that they didn't buy 2 forward facing car seats since they switched off on pick ups and drop offs. It makes absolutely no sense with their combined incomes.

On the other hand, if this was premeditated it would have been a lot more believable if they bought a larger convertible car seat. (ETA: believable that RH didn't know Cooper was in the car.) Cooper would have been rear facing, and completely invisible to the driver (no head sticking up).

Unless this was only planned by RH, and LH was the one who chose and bought the new car seat. Or if this was planned less than 6 weeks before Cooper's death (in the time between buying the new seat and Cooper's death).

 

[Hippiemomof5]

It's bizarre that they didn't buy 2 forward facing car seats since they switched off on pick ups and drop offs. It makes absolutely no sense with their combined incomes.

On the other hand, if this was premeditated it would have been a lot more believable if they bought a larger convertible car seat. Cooper would have been rear facing, and completely invisible to the driver (no head sticking up).

Unless this was only planned by RH, and LH was the one who chose and bought the new car seat. Or if this was planned less than 6 weeks before Cooper's death (in the time between buying the new seat and Cooper's death).

I am still very confused why a two car, two working parent family didn't own two carseats that fit the child!

I am a stay at home mom, and we only own one vehicle. My husband walks to work so our van is home for me to use all day with the children if I need to. Each child has a spare booster/car seat for my parents' vehicle so they are safe when riding with them, and there's never a time when we are accidentally stuck without a seat because someone drove off with the only seat for that child, etc.

Honestly, all the eating out, guitars, two car payments, etc but CH not having a carseat to safely sit in just boils my blood. Even if I believed with 100% certainty that JRH had "forgotten baby syndrome," the carseat not fitting CH is enough for a neglect charge.

 

[Evie Ivy Over]

It's bizarre that they didn't buy 2 forward facing car seats since they switched off on pick ups and drop offs. It makes absolutely no sense with their combined incomes.

On the other hand, if this was premeditated it would have been a lot more believable if they bought a larger convertible car seat. Cooper would have been rear facing, and completely invisible to the driver (no head sticking up).

Unless this was only planned by RH, and LH was the one who chose and bought the new car seat. Or if this was planned less than 6 weeks before Cooper's death (in the time between buying the new seat and Cooper's death).

If this was premeditated, RH sure didn't put much thought into it, and honestly, did little to nothing to cover tracks.

 

[EvilSoup]

It would be interesting to know what type of personality Cooper had at almost two years old. Mine is probably just hitting Cooper's size, and he's four; he was very uncomfortable in the rear facing over a year ago; I felt bad for him to be all squished up like that--he didn't cry, but I could tell his mood changed when he got strapped in. I really wanted to keep him rear facing longer, but couldn't do it--and I have a large vehicle and the passenger seat was positioned as close to the dash as possible. It just seems weird to me, but I guess it depends on the kid.

I was surprised, too, because when my daughter was little, rear-facing seats were only for infants under 20 lbs.

However, had the safety recommendations been what they are now, I would have heeded them and kept my child in a rear-facing seat, even though she has always been in the 95th percentile for height. Apparently, Europeans have been placing older toddlers/preschoolers in rear-facing seats for some time.

I guess I might find something "weird", but my child's safety comes first. Heck, I remember playing with my sister in the back of our station wagon, not buckled in at ALL, on long road trips, when I was 3 or 4.

But we just didn't know better then. Now, we do.