Published: July 08, 2008 09:59 am      

Toddler survives being electrocuted by toy lamp

By KANDACE MCCOY

kandace.mccoy@register-news.com

WALTONVILLE — Ever since she was born, Emily Mannen has had Care Bears in her room, including a novelty Care Bear Lamp, which sat beside her bed on her dresser.

But two weeks ago, while the two-year old toddler was playing in her room, she became just a bit too curious about the lamp.

“She wasn’t in there 10 minutes,” recalls Emily’s mother, Lynsey. “And I heard her scream. I met her in the hallway and she said, ‘It pushed me off.’ And I saw the lamp on the bed with the lamp shade, light bulb and protective barrier off.”

Emily, Lynsey discovered, had dismantled her Care Bear Lamp, and stuck her fingers into the socket of the appliance. Electricity shot through Emily’s arm, traveling up the arm and came out the toddler’s mouth.

When Emily screamed, Lynsey said she didn’t think — she just grabbed Emily and her other two children, Trenton, 8, and Hunter, 9 months, and drove for Children’s Hospital in St. Louis.

“Emily was silent the whole way. She didn’t say a word. Her lip looked awful.”

The electricity that traveled through Emily’s arm and through her mouth, Lynsey said, essentially “blew out the top” of her lip. “It looked like a crater, about the size of my thumb and looked like she had candle wax on it.”

Lynsey believes Emily thought the novelty lamp was a toy, even though it was put up on her dresser, seemingly out of harm’s way. “She was just curious. That lamp has sat there for two years since she was born. She just got curious and took it apart.”

Doctors in St. Louis said sitting on her bed probably saved Emily’s life, Lynsey noted.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, about 2 1/2 million children are injured or killed by hazards in the home each year.

And though many of these incidents can be prevented by implementing child safety devices, accidents such as Emily’s still happen, Lynsey warns, based on simple curiosity. “It happens so quick. They’re so fast and curious. Emily was in her room, where she should be safe. We’re pretty old fashioned. The lamp was the only electrical device in her room. I have three kids and know they get into stuff, but I never thought she’d get into the lamp.”

Emily’s lip has been healing, though Lynsey says she still has to take Emily for follow up appointments with doctors in St. Louis, a feat she said she wouldn’t have been able to do without the help of the local community. The Waltonville Cafe, employees from Walgreens Distribution Center, Long Prairie Church and the Waltonville E-ball Team have all helped the Mannens with money for gas and have presented cards and gifts.

“I won’t put another electric appliance in any of my kids’ rooms. It was awful,” Lynsey said of Emily’s accident.