Police: TV, dresser fall on toddler

2-year-old in critical condition

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A heavy television and a dresser fell on a 2-year-old boy after he climbed the dresser in his home Saturday afternoon, Jacksonville police said.

The toddler was airlifted to University of Florida Health Jacksonville with life-threatening injuries. Detectives said the boy, whose name was not released, was in critical condition.

It happened at the Century Bartram Springs Superior Apartment Homes near Racetrack Road and Philips Highway.

Dinero Robert Carlos Rinder

The family identified the boy as Dinero Robert Carlos Rinder, sent Channel 4 a photo and asked the community for prayers.

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office homicide detectives and evidence technicians are investigating.

Cynthia Dennis with Safe Kids Northeast Florida says accidents like these are not uncommon.

"Research shows from 2000 to 2010 on average every three weeks a child dies from a television tipping over," said Dennis.

According to Safe Kids, in the past decade, a child visited the emergency room every 45 minutes because of a TV that fell over.

According to Dennis, many parents will go out and buy a new flat screen television, but they hold on to their old bulky tube-style television and move it to another room.

"What we recommend is that if you have an old TV like that, you put it on a low table rather than a high dresser," said Dennis.

Dennis also said if parents can mount their television to a wall, they should. She said even flat screen televisions on furniture tend to be top heavy and are also prone to falling.

According to Dennis, it's also a good idea to keep remote controls and toys off of dressers so children aren't tempted to climb up and retrieve something. She said that's often what they're looking for when accidents like this happen. 

Click for more information about Safe Kids


About the Authors:

Ashley Harding joined the Channel 4 news team in March 2013. She reports for and anchors The Morning Show.