SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) — In a recently released video, two-year-old Utah twins – Bowdy and Brock Shoff– were climbing on a dresser when it fell on top of Brock.
"My heart sank. I didn't know what to do," said mother Kayli Shoff after seeing the video of her sons. "I felt like the worst mom in the world."
What happened next is nothing short of miraculous.
Bowdy manages to move the dresser - allowing his brother to escape injury free.
"You know when I watched that video this morning, I did not expect that little toddler to stand up and be fine," said Marybeth Moran, who is in charge of injury prevention at Rady Children's Hospital.
Moran says these types of incidents are ones doctors at the hospital know all about.
"In the last ten year period of time, we saw 190 kids brought to the emergency room with falling furniture or a falling TV or both," said Moran.
In 2007, 3-year-old Kendall Wallace of Jamul died after a dresser fell on top of her.
Along with Children's Hospital, her parents created a safety video.
It can happen with just about any piece of furniture. Take that bookcase for example - a 2-year-old weighs about thirty pounds, so with just a little bit of pressure something as small as a bookmark can come crashing down.
"It's hard to say when that instinct to climb and get up on things resolves," explained Moran. "But you can bet any toddler is gonna wanna get up and crawl and practice their physical skills."
Moran suggests parents use straps to secure furniture and TVs to the wall.
Most furniture comes equipped with them or you can also purchase a pair for less than five dollars at any hardware or children's store. Another tip: unscrew handles so kids can't open drawers.
Simple. yet effective solutions that can save a life.
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