Furniture-tipover deaths of children on rise

With the holidays coming up and big-screen televisions on many wish lists, Phoenix-area safety experts advise parents to secure TVs and furniture that could tip over and harm children.

According to the injury prevention center at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, tipped-over televisions hurt more than 22,000 children a year, with 245 yearly deaths of children under 6.

Last month, a 5-year-old Phoenix boy died from injures suffered when a large TV fell on him.

“The holidays are coming and between holiday sales and visitors, many homes have new furniture or television, with small children presents,” said injury prevention center spokeswoman Angelica Baker in a statement.

A tipped-over television and dresser took the life of Brayden Lee Rodgers, of Surprise, on the last day of 2011.

“As the holdiays approach, all I can think of is what I’d be doing with him right now — getting ready for Christmas, getting ready to spend time with our family,” said Brayden’s mother, Heather Poole.

“I don’t get to do that this year.”

Child-proofing in a home should include:

• Anchoring furniture — bookcases, dressers, entertainment — to the wall with brackets to prevent tipping over

• Placing TVs on low, sturdy furniture, not on dressers or shelves

• Pushing TVs as far back from the edge of their stand as possible

• Placing items of interest to children far out of reach

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