OGDEN -- The death of a 1-year-old Ogden girl who was run over by her mother's truck during a barbecue on Sunday has child-safety advocates worried because the risk for this type of accident increases during the summer.
Relatives of the victim were having a Mother's Day celebration outside the Willowwood Apartments at 445 E. 800 North when some in the group wanted to hear music.
Police say the toddler, identified as Anaiya Boney, was placed by relatives in a grassy area outside the building. That's when Boney's mother drove her SUV onto the lawn with the intent to play music from inside the vehicle and unknowingly struck her daughter.
The relatives had left the infant on the grass for only a few moments while they went inside to grab a blanket.
A neighbor tried to revive the girl, but the child was pronounced dead at an Ogden hospital.
Brandy Mazoyer, a friend and spokeswoman for the family, said the family was together Monday and coping as well as could be expected.
"They are struggling," she said. "They really are. They're a pretty close family. This has been such a tragedy for them."
Child-safety advocates say these tragic events should serve as a reminder to parents to ensure their children are at a safe distance before driving off.
"Our hearts go out to these people who not only lost a kid, but will have to endure a lifelong regret," said Janet Brooks, manager of child advocacy at Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City.
As temperatures warm up, Brooks said, children will be outside more. If parents are not careful, there is a likelihood something like this will happen again, she said.
Sunday's death marks the second such tragedy so far this year.
On April 8, a 4-year-old boy died after he was hit in his driveway.
Police say the child's mother was backing out in an SUV when she struck him. A relative was responsible for the boy at the time, but the child managed to sneak out the front door.
The boy, later identified as Tyler Foote, was flown to a hospital, where he later died.
Brooks said although it's usually the fatal accidents that make headlines, such incidents shockingly occur on average every six days in Utah.
Between 1997 and 2008, 48 Utah children were either backed over or hit by the front of a vehicle and killed.
Primary Children's launched its Spot the Tot campaign in 2005 after a record 10 children were killed in such incidents the year before.
Officials have identified several risk factors and trends involving children and vehicles.
Accidents involving children between ages 5 and 9 are most likely to occur close to school, in a church parking lot or near a business.
But for children 4 years and younger, accidents are far more likely to take place right outside the home.
As in both fatal incidents this year, these accidents often occur when the driver leaves the child in the care of another party and doesn't suspect the child is in the vicinity of the vehicle, Brooks said.
Other times, the driver may be on a cell phone and is distracted or is in a hurry to leave and neglects to check for a child before pulling out.
"We did a precampaign survey to look at people's behavior and what would it take to cause something like this to happen," Brooks said. "Every single person said they were in a hurry or talking on a cell phone."
Brooks said many incidents could be prevented if parents simply walked the perimeter of a vehicle and are 100 percent sure where their child is before backing out.
For more information and safety tips from the Stop for Tots program, visit www.intermountainhealthcare.org and click on the page for Primary Children's Medical Center. Then follow the Child Health & Safety link.
A memorial fund has been set up at Goldenwest Credit Union for Anaiya Boney, in care of her mother, Stephanie Vigil, confirmed a credit union spokeswoman.
Mazoyer said a Southern Utah casket maker has donated a casket for Anaiya's burial.
Updated 11:22 p.m.
Toddler death has child advocates concerned
OGDEN — The death of a 1-year-old Ogden girl who was run over by her mother’s truck during a barbecue on Sunday has child-safety advocates worried as the risk for these type of accidents increases during the summer months.
Relatives of the victim were having a Mother’s Day celebration outside the Willowwood Apartments at 445 E. 800 North when some in the group wanted to hear music. Police say the toddler, identified as Anayia Boney, was placed by relatives in a grassy area outside the building. That’s when Boney’s mother drove her SUV onto the lawn with the intent to play music from inside the vehicle and unknowingly struck her daughter.
The relatives had left the infant on the grass for only a few moments while they went to grab a blanket. A neighbor tried to revive on the girl but she was pronounced dead at an Ogden hospital.
Child safety advocates say these tragic events should serve as a reminder to parents to ensure their children are at a safe distance before driving off.
“Our hearts go out to these people who not only lost a kid, but will have to endure a lifelong of regret,” said Janet Brooks, manager of child advocacy at Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City.
Brooks said that as temperatures warm up, children will be outside more. If parents are not careful, she said, there is a likelihood something like this will happen again.
Sunday’s death marks the second such tragedy so far this year.
On April 8, a 4-year-old boy was killed after he was hit in his driveway. Police say the child’s mother was backing out in an SUV when she struck him. A relative was responsible for the boy at the time, but he managed to sneak out the front door. The boy, later identified as Tyler Foote, was flown to the hospital where he later died.
Brooks said that although it’s usually the fatal accidents that make headlines, such incidents shockingly occur on average every six days in Utah.
Between 1997 and 2008, 48 Utah children were either backed over or hit in the front by a vehicle and killed. Primary Children’s launched its Spot the Tot campaign in 2005 after a record 10 children were killed in such incidents the year before.
Officials have identified several risk factors and trends involving children and vehicles. Crashes involving children between ages 5 and 9 are most likely to occur close to school, in a church parking lot or near a business. But for children 4 years old and younger, crashes are far more likely to take place right outside the home.
As in both fatal incidents this year, crashes often occur when the driver leaves the child in the care of another party and doesn’t suspect the child is in the vicinity of the vehicle, Brooks said.
Other times, the driver may be on a cell phone and is distracted or is in a hurry to leave and neglects to check for a child before pulling out.
“We did a pre-campaign survey to look at people’s behavior and what would it take to cause something like this to happen,” Brooks said. “Every single person said they were in a hurry or talking on a cell phone.”
Brooks said many crashes can be prevented if parents simply walk the perimeter of a vehicle and are 100 percent sure where their child is before backing out.
For more information and safety tips from the Stop for Tots program, visit www.intermountainhealthcare.org and click on the page for Primary Children’s Medical Center. Then follow the Child Health & Safety link.
Updated 2:54 p.m.
Baby dies in Ogden after mother runs over her with SUV By JaNae Francis
OGDEN -- A Mother's Day party ended tragically Sunday evening when a mother accidentally ran over her own baby with a sport utility vehicle.
"It just seems like a tragic accident," said Ogden Police Sgt. Chris McAllister.
"Obviously, we need to investigate it further. ... There doesn't seem to be drugs or alcohol involved."
Police identified the 1-year-old victim as Anayia Boney.
McAllister said there were no witnesses to the accident behind the Willowwood Apartment complex, 445 E. 800 North.
There was only a mother who, realizing what she had done, screamed at others to come to her daughter's aid, he said.
The 6:30 p.m. accident occurred when family members were having a barbecue and decided they wanted some music, McAllister said.
The mother drove the SUV around the building on the grass with the intent of playing music from inside the SUV.
Meanwhile, he said, some young girls took the baby and laid her on the grass. The girls left to get the baby a blanket as the mother pulled around to where the baby was.
McAllister said the mother apparently did not see the baby on the grass.
He said several family members live in nearby units of the apartment complex and were close by, but not where they could see the accident.
Neighbors said immediately after they heard the screams, emergency crews arrived.
One neighbor who is trained as a certified nurse's assistant performed CPR until they arrived.
Onlookers said a police officer who first arrived and took over CPR was crying.
The baby was taken by ambulance to McKay-Dee Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, McAllister said.
Gene Ringel, who lives with her daughter in an apartment north of the two units near the accident, said playing music from cars is a typical practice in the neighborhood.
She describes the neighborhood as a friendly place where neighbors regularly look after each other's children.
"We've been really lucky up until this point," Ringel said of the neighborhood.
But Sunday, she said she witnessed young girls who had seen their baby cousin bleeding from the back of the head.
"They are very impacted by this," she said.
Ringel's daughter, Brandy Ringel, said the neighborhood will never be the same.
"We will watch our children more closely."
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