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Meghan’s Hope

Raising awareness about the dangers of furniture tip-over

Meghan’s Story

Meghan Agnes Beck

October 23, 2001—December 18, 2004

She was the second born of a twin set, her older brother arriving 4 minutes before she was born. She arrived feet first, feisty and ready to make her presence known literally kicking her older brother out of the womb! That was October 23, 2001. One of the happiest days of my life.

That bright-eyed little girl, our beautiful daughter Meghan, died December 18th, 2004 at the age of 3 from injuries sustained as a result of her dresser falling on top of her in the early morning hours while we slept. We presume she was climbing in the drawers. We did not hear the dresser fall, for it fell on top of her. She did not or could not cry. She died within minutes.

Suddenly I was living every parent’s nightmare, I held my dead baby girl in my arms one sunny Saturday morning just a week before Christmas and had to say goodbye. I left her body in the emergency room along with a part of me. My heart shattered. All because of something that could have easily been avoided, had we known the dangers. It was the worst day of my life. For a glimpse into that day, read my blog post about it here, I promise it is worth your time.

Tragically, her death was preventable, for if we had secured her dresser to the wall, she would be with us today. A few dollars and about 20 minutes would have saved her life. Instead of putting a few holes in our walls and furniture, we forever have one in our hearts that will never heal. Walls can be fixed, broken hearts cannot.

We never thought her dresser, a small, heavy, well made and well known top of the line piece, would tip or fall, let alone kill anyone, we were horribly wrong. She has left us, her twin brother, and her older brother all devastated at her loss.

Our home is and was always well childproofed. We had other larger pieces of furniture that were secured to the walls, but not her dresser. I may never forgive myself for not making her room and our home safer. The guilt is overwhelming.

Sadly, Meghan is not the first child to die from falling furniture, but we hope that we can, with your help, prevent this tragedy from happening to another child. Since Meghan’s death, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has revised their information and statistics on injury and death due to furniture tip over several times. The numbers are only increasing! We know awareness and prevention are the key to saving lives. Watch this brief PSA from the CPSC on Furniture and TV Tip-Over.

The most recent information from the CPSC, published in 2012, notes that over 25,400 children are injured every year. That’s 71 every single day! One child dies every two weeks when a piece of furniture, a TV or an appliance falls on them. Their motto is Anchor it and Protect a Child. Safe Kids Worldwide published a study in 2012 as well and noted that a child dies every 3 weeks when a TV falls on them! You can read it here ALL of these injuries and deaths are preventable!

Since publishing this Web site, we have heard far too many stories of similar accidents, some from parents whose children also died, and many more stories of near misses and and we are astounded at how often furniture or televisions tips or falls onto children causing injury or death, even with their parents right in the same room! It is even more shocking how unaware of the dangers parents, health care professionals, and furniture stores and manufacturers are. We want to change that.

This is a tragedy that could happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime and death can result in mere minutes. You can be right there and be powerless to stop it! I can assure you no parent who has ever lost a child for any reason expected it would happen to them. We certainly didn’t. Please don’t let it happen to yours or anyone else’s child. Securing your furniture is quick, easy, inexpensive, and the life you save may be your own child's or someone you love.

Please help us raise awareness and prevent these accidents from injuring and killing children. Secure your furniture, televisions and appliances to the wall. ALL OF THEM. Don’t think it can’t happen to your child! Share my blog post, the studies referenced here and ‘like’ our Facebook Page, where I post all sorts of child safety information well beyond the scope of tip-over prevention. Someone who was moved by her story made this brief PSA on YouTube about Meghan. Share it, too.

Together we can make kids safer!

Thank you!

The dresser that killed her.

Email us at info@meghanshope.org