Bug spray eyed in death of 10-month-old boy

[depakid]

Source: MSNBC

Bug spray that produces a fog to kill insects is likely to blame for the death of a 10-month-old South Carolina boy, and his 2-year-old brother was critically injured by the fumes, authorities said Monday.

Anderson County Deputy Coroner Don McCown said the boys' mother had been using foggers in their single-wide mobile home in Williamston, in the northwest part of the state, because of an insect problem. Elizabeth Whitfield, 25, called 911 on Sunday afternoon to report her youngest son was having trouble breathing.

Paramedics took all three to a hospital, and Jacob Whitfield was pronounced dead. His brother, Kenneth, was flown to another hospital about 20 minutes north to Greenville, where he remained Monday on a respirator, but was starting to stabilize, McCown said. Elizabeth Whitfield was coated in chemicals when she first arrived to the hospital and had to remove her clothes and take a shower. She was released Sunday, but was re-admitted to the ER on Monday with breathing problems, McCown said.

Investigators found seven fogger containers. She told authorities she set off three when she began renting a month ago, then continued using them when the insects wouldn't die. "Most people put these foggers in — they do it one time a month or every couple of months. She was using two to three a week," McCown said. "She said she followed the directions, but you have to wonder. We can't attribute it to anything else."

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33597583/ns/us_news-life/

[Skittles]

1. they also need to investigate why a bug-infested place was rented

that sounds ridiculous too

[dbert4]

4. Capitalism

What? This is South Caroline! Those fine republicans are all about making a buck.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[WriteDown]

15. Who are you talking about?

The bug fogger manufacturers?

[TwilightGardener]

7. Lots of bug-infested rentals in SC. I lived in a couple. Maintenance

usually comes out to spray. Everywhere I've ever lived in the South had a bug problem.

[Rebubula]

9. Well...

...cheap mobile home in the South...yup...LOTS of bugs.

The main question is WHY WAS ANYONE IN THE DAMN HOUSE?!?

[raccoon]

12. In SC, landlords can pretty much do whatever they want. nt

[WriteDown]

16. Links to that? nt

[raccoon]

17. Anecdotal. IME. Long years ago, I rented from this old lady who desperately needed

to do something about her septic tank (the stench was awful). Researched it and what the health dept would have done was evict the tenants.

[izquierdista]

20. It's South Carolina

Here in the South, we are the intruders into the bug's domain. If we can clear out a little space where they will leave us alone, we are winning. Even still, I can't believe the instructions were followed correctly. Every so often you hear about someone who got fed up with the bugs and set off a dozen bug bombs in their single wide, forgetting that they had a pilot light going somewhere. And when they return, they learn about a heretofore unknown chemical concept: the lower explosive limit (LEL).

[WriteDown]

22. Few who live outside the South probably know what "Palmetto Bugs" are. nt

[Dreamer Tatum]

25. Could be a clean place was rented that became bug infested

Anyway, it's very sad. Poor family - prob just wanted a cleaner home.

[Lorien]

2. I remember reading a story here in Florida where a couple bug bombed

their trailer home with eight cans of the stuff at once. Someone must have left a lit cigarette in an ashtray because the place caught on fire and exploded after all the bug bombs were set off! Amazing how inattentive some people are to directions, this time with fatal consequences. :-(

[pnwmom]

3. So sad. n/t

[qanda]

6. Somebody needs to teach people about boric acid

It's cheap, safe and it works. The landlord should never have rented a bug infested apartment, but I really feel for the mother who must not have known any better.

[kimmerspixelated]

24. Here, here!

Poisons are not anyone's friend.

[a la izquierda]

8. Good grief...

I understand that the cleanest houses have bugs occasionally (in Oklahoma, it's impossible to keep them all out), but read the damn directions. If it's strong enough to kill bugs, humans shouldn't be breathing the crap in either!
Poor kid...

[indimuse]

10. very sad...n/t

[zonkers]

11. 2 to 3 foggers a week in a trailer. What was she thinkin?

[Berry Cool]

13. That's a good question. Didn't anyone else learn a healthy respect for chemicals in school science

classes, if not from their parents?

I mean, it just seems to me that along with picking up a lot of practical knowledge at home about stuff like household chemicals, one also normally learns a thing or two about them in science classes in school. If for no other reason than if you study chemistry at all, you learn about hazardous chemical combinations and the dangers of exposing yourself, your food, your water, your pets to too much chemical stuff. Anecdotes get told. Horror stories are exchanged. This seems to be the normal way people learn stuff like "watch it when you use chemicals."

They also learn that reading the label of any chemical you use is important. Surely the foggers contained indications on the can as to the amount of space they should be used in, the fact that they should not be used with living creatures present, and the number of them and frequency recommended (and discouraged) for use in a given size of area.

Then again, those instructions do no good if someone hasn't learned to read. I can't help but wonder, can this woman read? Maybe that's another good question.

[mstinamotorcity]

14. Canned Bug Foggers

Those things say right on the label to leave the premises once the cans have been activated. The minute you pull the trigger back and lock it on the can itself the fogger instantly comes streaming out of the can like a jet stream. It only takes about one to two minutes for a room to be engulfed with fog. If she had been using them two to three times a week, it seems as if she would have known not to have the children in the house when exterminating for bugs. Any one can get an insect problem. It can come from weather conditions, neighbors, unclean conditions,or plain old infestation from certain delivery methods.So the woman may not have rented the place with the bugs she may have brought them with her. But I have personal knowledge of use with this type of bug killer and after you treat the premises you must open windows and doors to ventilate the treated area. With most of the foggers you keep the windows and doors closed for four to six hours allowing the fog to get throughout every room.And i state again if she was using them on a regular bases why wouldn't she know how to use them. It clearly states on the can to remove all pets and fish aquariums before treating area. If your fish aquarium is too big to move they suggest cutting off pumps and covering with some type of heavy cloth. Should it have said remove children also? There are big letters on the can that say poison. I don't know.what do you think. it is very sad.

[crim son]

18. Stupid, stupid woman.

Somebody that dumb ought not have children.

[Steerpike]

19. So

are these the only children who died the other day?

[depakid]

21. This was posted to underscore the hazard that insecticides pose to kids

and animals.

Even if it doesn't kill them, there's a serious risk of neurological and organ damage.

[Brickbat]

23. Well, get on with yourself and post the stories of the other ones!

They're not going to post themselves, y'know!