Found Deceased MO - Titus Tackett, 3, Killarney Shores, 10 Feb 2016

[luvhockey]

Unless he climbed into a van that had a blanket in it (some people do keep one in the car)....The blanket throws me a bit....IMHO

I have 4 blankets in my minivan. Even though there is rear heat it's still cold in the third row if I'm hauling more than my 2 boys (this is pretty often). Also to save the seats when sweaty, wet or muddy teen boys after games. And wet or muddy dogs to lay on.

 

[SurfieTX]

Unless he climbed into a van that had a blanket in it (some people do keep one in the car)....The blanket throws me a bit....IMHO

I'm not from a cold region in the US, but I have seen on websites and things that people who do often carry food and a blanket just in case they get stranded. It was snowing on the officer when he was speaking and they closed the schools early today, so I think it is reasonable to believe there might have been a blanket in there. I personally do not believe he could have gotten into the van by himself, but I guess that is possible too.

 

[Hatfield]

He was found with a blanket over him!

I heard the interview and I think the LE officer said when he saw him that he had a blanket over him but maybe whoever first found the boy had placed the blanket over him.

I am not convinced yet that the blanket was there when he first was found. It could have been but from the interview I dont think it was perfectly clear about that.

Wish he would have repeated the questions before answering. I hate it when people giving interviews don't repeat the questions. Grrrrr

 

[Dylgem22]

The Presser was hard for me to hear at work: was he found in the van by one of the search volunteers, or by the owner of the house who then flagged down the search volunteer/police?? thank you!

 

[stillwatersc]

Little Titus could have 'escaped' with his blanket.

 

[Dockins]

I wouldn't doubt someone covered him after finding his little body for dignity purposes. Much like the officer who took his coat off and covered little Noah before carrying him out.

 

[menmo]

How does a child that age open a van door?
I'm not saying he didn't, I just want to know if my grandkids at that age are the only ones that wouldn't be capable.

 

[PowMom01]

The Presser was hard for me to hear at work: was he found in the van by one of the search volunteers, or by the owner of the house who then flagged down the search volunteer/police?? thank you!

I heard him say that the homeowner (or occupant) went to the van and discovered the child and then flagged down a volunteer who was nearby

 

[pepelepolecat]

How does a child that age open a van door?
I'm not saying he didn't, I just want to know if my grandkids at that age are the only ones that wouldn't be capable.

Automatic sliding doors are super easy to open. (Not saying that van had auto doors). I think at least two and maybe three of mine could have opened a van door by three.

ETA: Was the van door found closed, too?

 

[PowMom01]

How does a child that age open a van door?
I'm not saying he didn't, I just want to know if my grandkids at that age are the only ones that wouldn't be capable.

My 3 year old is perfectly capable of opening the doors on my Yukon which are pretty heavy. I am sure my son could open a sliding van door too if it wasn't locked. I haven't seen him do it but it wouldn't surprise me at all.

 

[menmo]

Automatic sliding doors are super easy to open. (Not saying that van had auto doors). I think at least two and maybe three of mine could have opened a van door by three.

ETA: Was the van door found closed, too?

My 3 year old is perfectly capable of opening the doors on my Yukon which are pretty heavy. I am sure my son could open a sliding van door too if it wasn't locked. I haven't seen him do it but it wouldn't surprise me at all.

Scary! Just one more thing I never thought about happening with a child that young.
I learn a lot here.

 

[stillwatersc]

If it weren't so tragically cold, getting in the van could have saved his life.

 

[The Apparition]

Not enough information yet, as to be expected. The blanket is vitally important to this case. Being found covered either means he died in his sleep peacefully after covering himself (I hope), or the blanket was put on him sometime after he died. With most hypothermia deaths the deceased is found naked as the body gives a sensation of being overly hot when it is dying of exposure.

Bless his soul regardless, it's a hard world sometimes.

 

[Hatfield]

How does a child that age open a van door?
I'm not saying he didn't, I just want to know if my grandkids at that age are the only ones that wouldn't be capable.

Some of the Van doors slide rather easily as soon as the handle is pulled to unlock the lock. I have seen van doors both ways. Some hard to pull across and some others that slide very easily.

Im not sure if he was found in the front area or the back part. The front part would just have normal driver + passenger doors. The back part typically has those sliding doors.

 

[slowbutsteady]

I'm sorry, I just don't think a 3 yr old could open the door and then pull a blanket all the way over him? I just don't buy it...and that makes me sick! I'm praying I'm wrong...Please, I so want to be wrong! :tantrum:

RIP sweet angel :rose:

 

[gregjrichards]

Another terrible tragedy these cases with little ones are just heartbreaking. R.I.P Titus Tackett.

As always thank you everyone for all your posts and updates.

 

[Mountaingazer]

How does a child that age open a van door?
I'm not saying he didn't, I just want to know if my grandkids at that age are the only ones that wouldn't be capable.

My twins turned three in October and they can both open our minivan doors if it is unlocked. However, it is a struggle for the back doors and takes a while for them to slide them enough to get in, they are also used to the doors. If we didn't have a minivan for them to practice on, I don't think they would be able to at all.

 

[white rabbit]

Sheriff Medley reportedly told the Daily Journal Online that the boy’s parents said they left the toddler with a grandparent when they went to run an errand around midnight. When the parents returned home around 1 a.m. they noticed the door to the house was open and the child was missing.

http://www.kmov.com/story/31186495/...ing-in-search-for-missing-iron-county-toddler

???

 

[luvhockey]

Both my boys could open my minivan doors at age 3 and they were both on the small end of the growth chart. The slide doors were a little more difficult.
He could've opened the front and walked to the back if that's where he was. The aisle is open all the way through. Lord knows they're monkeys at that age and can climb over anything.

 

[slowbutsteady]

what kind of an errand do you run at midnight?????