Is more security needed t the Grand Canyon?
By mrrtomatoe
@mrrtomatoe (800)
Canada
October 10, 2007 3:09pm CST
A 4-year-old Arizona girl walking at the edge of the Grand Canyon slipped and plunged about 450 feet to her death Tuesday, a park official said.
The girl, visiting the vast scenic canyon on a family vacation, fell while on a trail near Mather Point, one of the most popular viewing spots, said park spokeswoman Pamela Walls.
The child's father scrambled down the cliff and tried to resuscitate her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The site is host to millions of people. This serves as a tragic reminder of what can happen if your children are unattended. It is the second time this year that a person has died in a fall from the crimson-hued canyon, an international tourist attraction visited by an estimated 4.5 million people annually.
How is this possible? I've never been so I can't tell you. Do you think they have poor secuirty measures or is this just an isolated incident?
Source: AOL
4 people like this
3 responses
@mmiller26 (1930)
• Canada
11 Oct 07
I think it's an isolated incident and a case of bad parenting. I have a 5 year old, and I won't let him walk near the edge of our ditch (which is near a highway and has water in it), let alone near the edge of a cliff. If it had been me, I would have been holding her hand the entire time so that this couldn't have happened.
I see a lot of parents who let their young children run across the street at crosswalks, or walk near the edge of large drop-offs and don't seem at all concerned that something could happen to their child. And then when someone does get injured or killed, it's all about blaming someone else about security or something. This simply would not have happened if the parents had taken responsibility for their child and been holding on to her like they should have been. Furthermore, it's a cliff, for pete's sake. No one should be walking that close to the edge.
1 person likes this
@buliangxianren (425)
• China
11 Oct 07
i agree with what aforesaid. it is an isolated incident and only happened accidently in the same place. we know it is habit to search others' fault when there is accident. we want to ask others to pay for it. it is not our fault or it is not all my fault in minds. it is dangerous to visit the place there,as we know. i think it is real reason they go there. the secure is important but not nessary. we can't be tense all the way of visit. we could stand up the good interest place is danger ,which make us more exiting. we can't stay in the trouble on the way. now we know there is an accident in the destination,but we can prevent us from danger there. it is sad to know there is an accident. but there is no need for the security.
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
11 Oct 07
I have been to the Canyon. I can tell you this, if I had a 4 yr. old child with me, I would have been holding that childs hand at all time. You can also buy a tether, one end is hooked up to you and the other end is hooked to the child. Sort of a leash. I do feel sorry for the parents, they have to live with that. You can walk right up to the edge of the canyon, its straight down in most areas. My son was a teenager and I was nervous about him getting too close. People have fallen over the edge, its tragic. More security would not have stopped this, you have to watch your children. How sad.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (92518)
• United States
10 Oct 07
Security is not a problem. I've been there, and unless you just climb under all barriers (which she did), you are completely safe. This was just a very active child who got away from her parents. Once she was loose, a full grown adult would have to work over time to catch her before she got to the edge. While I feel sorry for the parents, when you take kids to the Grand Canyon, there is an understanding that you need to keep them close. Most children don't want to get anywhere near the edge! It is no one's responsibility but the parents and the sweet disobedient child. And unfortunately, a freak accident occurred and will likely haunt that family for the rest of their lives.
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