Maryland State Police Press Releases

For Immediate Release: December 16, 2008
Contact: Mr. Gregory Shipley, MSP Office of Media Communications & Marketing, 410-653-4236 (Office) 410-653-4200
www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/FireEMS/ (Homepage)
www.pgfireems.com (Newsroom)

MSP UPDATE - Critically Injured Child from I-95 in Beltsville
Maryland State Police Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 16, 2008

CHILD CRITICALLY INJURED BY SEAT BELT STRAP

(College Park, MD) – Maryland State Police are continuing their investigation into the critical injury of a child last night who apparently became entangled in a seat belt strap while his mother was driving on I-95 in Prince George's County.

The injured child is identified as DeAndre Harris, who is five-years-old. Harris is in critical condition at Children's Hospital.

Just before 6:00 p.m. yesterday, Maryland State Police at the College Park Barracks received a call from a Prince George's County 9-1-1 dispatcher. The dispatcher advised a call had been received from a hysterical woman who said her child had a seat belt wrapped around his neck and she needed help. She gave a description of her vehicle and said she was in the area of southbound I-95 at I-495.

A trooper was immediately dispatched and found the vehicle five minutes after the call was received. The trooper saw the child in the left rear seat of the 2005 Honda CR-V, with the seat belt wrapped around his neck. The trooper cut the seat belt loose from the vehicle and removed it from the child's neck.

The child was not breathing and the trooper immediately started rescue breathing. A member of the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department stopped and assisted the trooper with CPR until EMS units arrived. The child was transported by ambulance to Laurel Hospital and later flown to Children's Hospital.

State Police investigators conducted numerous interviews last night with the victim's mother, Yuko Harris, 38, of Baltimore, and other relatives. Initial scene processing was also conducted. The car, which belonged to the victim's uncle, was secured at the College Park Barracks and will be processed by crime scene technicians today.

There is no clear evidence of foul play at this time. It is unknown exactly how the child became entangled in the seat belt. It is not clear if the victim was secured by the seat belt when he became entangled in the seat belt shoulder strap. A two-year-old boy, believed to be the victim's brother, was in a booster seat in the right rear of the vehicle. State Police investigators at the College Park Barracks are continuing their investigation.


CONTACT: Lt. Carl Miller
Commander – College Park Barracks
301-345-3101

For Immediate Release: December 15, 2008
Contact: Mark E. Brady, Chief Spokesman, 240-508-7930
www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/FireEMS/ (Homepage)
www.pgfireems.com (Newsroom)

Tragic and Disturbing Rescue on the Interstate


Several volunteer and career members of the Prince George's County Fire/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department are under going Critical Incident Stress Debriefing this evening after handling an incident involving a young child. Just before 6:00 PM, Monday, December 15, 2008, Firefighter/Medics from Calverton, Branchville and College Park were alerted to a 911 report of a child in cardiac/respiratory arrest after his family vehicle seat belt became tight around his upper body. The 5-year-old male victim was accompanied by his mother and another younger child who was secured in a child safety seat on the rear seat. The affected child was positioned on a booster on the back seat directly behind the driver.

Firefighter/Medics and the Maryland State Police arrived on the shoulder of North-Bound Interstate 95 near the Powder Mill Road exit in Beltsville. For unknown reasons, the seat belt became so tight around the child's upper body, it caused the child to suffocate and stop breathing.

Upon arrival, first responders were unable to release the seat belt and had to cut the straps to free the child. Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation was immediately initiated and advanced life support was started upon the paramedic's arrival. The 5-year-old male was immediately transported to a local hospital. Paramedics were successful in obtaining a pulse prior to the arrival at the hospital; however, the patient remains in critical condition.

The Maryland State Police (College Park) are conducting an investigation into this incident.