Bedford Boy Rescued After Being Entangled In Seat Belt

BEDFORD, MA — Bedford police are reminding residents of the importance of seatbelt and child seat safety after responding to a call about a boy entangled in a seat belt.

On Saturday, first responders were called to South Road near Great Road for a report of a boy choking in a car.

The woman driving told police her 8-year-old son told her while she was driving that he couldn't breathe. The woman pulled over and saw that the boy had pulled the seat belt loose and wrapped it around his neck, apparently activating the belt's locking mechanism. The mother couldn't loosen the seat belt to free the child, who had turned blue and lost consciousness.

She ran into a nearby salon, called for help, grabbed a pair of scissors and cut the boy free. The mother performed CPR until firefighters and police got there to render medical aid, according to fire officials.

The boy regained consciousness and was evaluated at an area hospital. He is not expected to have any lasting medical complications, according to fire officials.

"This was a very dangerous situation, one that I have not encountered previously in more than 25 years of public safety experience," Police Chief Robert Bongiorno said. "Thankfully, the mother kept her composure and was able to use the resources in the immediate area to free the trapped child. I urge all parents to review the manufacturer's safety guidelines on their vehicles and to teach safety to their children. Thankfully, a tragedy was averted in this situation, and we hope all parents can learn from this ordeal and a future tragedy can also be prevented through awareness."

Bedford officials are urging residents to follow these guidelines from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• Use a booster seat with the vehicle lap AND shoulder seat belts until your child passes the following Seat Belt Fit Test:
  • Your children’s knees should bend at the edge of the vehicle seat when their backs and bottoms are against the vehicle seat back; and
  • The vehicle lap belt should fit across the upper thighs; and
  • The shoulder belt should fit across the shoulder and chest. Children are usually between 8 and 12 years old when the seat belt fits them properly.
• Once your children pass the Seat Belt Fit Test, teach them the importance of using seat belts on every ride, whether they’re with you or not. This is a habit you can instill at an early age. If they learn this lesson early, they’ll be more likely to buckle up when they’re older or when you’re not around.
• Kids tend to slouch or lean against the windows during the drive, but it makes a difference in terms of safety. Have your children sit upright when using seat belt

There are also safety tools available in the event of an emergency, including tools that can break a window or cut a seat belt that are available online or at any automotive shop or hardware retailer.