Danika M. Galindo, 41, of Emporia, remains in critical condition in Wesley Medical Center in Wichita with injuries received in an accident Wednesday involving her 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe and a 1995 Mack semi-tractor trailer.
The collision happened about 4:17 p.m. at the junction of U.S. Highways 56 and 77 and Kansas Highway 150.
Orlando Galindo, 3, a passenger in her vehicle, was reported in fair condition this morning at Wesley.
Two other passengers in the vehicle — Brenda Galindo, 24, and Alex Galindo, 7 — also received injuries and were taken to St. Luke’s Hospital and Living Center in Marion.
The Highway Patrol reported that Danika Galindo was wearing a safety restraint; the three passengers in her vehicle were not.
According to a report from the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Tahoe driven by Danika M. Galindo was westbound on K150 and had stopped at the intersection, then failed to yield the right-of-way to an oncoming semi driven by Craig W. Whittemore, 33, of Wilsey. Whittemore, who was wearing a safety restraint, was not injured.
The Salina Journal reported that Danika and Orlando Galindo were airlifted to Wesley. Brenda and Alex Galindo were taken to St. Luke’s Hospital in Marion. Their conditions were not available this morning.
madpoet (anonymous) says...
Wow, imagine having TWO unrestrained children in a car! How irresponsible is that! I hope she recovers but it blows my mind the toddler wasn't in a car seat and the little kid wasn't buckled up. I'm glad no one was killed. It could have been much worse. The kids could have become projectiles in that SUV. God must have had His hand on those people.
July 25, 2008 at 3:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Weltha (anonymous) says...
It sure doesn't make any sense to me that she was in a seat belt but 2 very young children were not.... Not to mention the 3 year old should not only should have been in a seat belt but a car seat or booster seat to-boot. WOW!
July 25, 2008 at 3:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dj2879 (anonymous) says...
Since everyone else is speculating, I'll throw my speculation in there as well. The other passenger, Brenda, was stated to be 24. It's entirely possible that at least one of the children was her child.
July 25, 2008 at 5:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zippy (anonymous) says...
The children belong to Brenda. Danika is the grandmother.
July 25, 2008 at 11:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
apsuz (anonymous) says...
It's not really important who's children they were, but they should have all been buckled up. I know it is possible that the children unbuckled themselves while the vehicle was moving, but if that where the case, the vehicle should have remained stopped either at the stop sign or on the shoulder, until everyone was properly restrained again. I know how difficult that can be, and how frustrating it can be when you are in a hurry. But the lives of innocent young children are at stake every single time they get into a vehicle, and they don't understand the finality of a fatal accident. And yes, I have practiced what I preached on this subject. I have pulled over numerous times to be sure children in my vehicle (not only my own, but others as well) where properly restrained. This is not only the law, it's common sense. I hope everyone that hears about this story will think twice about not buckling up every time they go somewhere, especially making sure those who aren't old enough to do it themselves are properly restrained. Thank God this accident wasn't as bad as it could have been. Even though I don't know this family, I will be praying for their recovery and hope that others will also pray for them.
July 25, 2008 at 11:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
coldhardtruth (anonymous) says...
I think that it is sad that all of the comments above focus more on what the adults did wrong, rather than showing sympathy. I'm sure both of them feel horrible about the entire situation even occuring. They have a lot on their plates now, they sure don't need others criticizing their actions as well. I'm sorry that they have to go through an event like this, no one wants to get in a wreck, especially not with youngsters. I pray for a speedy complete recover. God bless!
July 28, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
shopinlisa (anonymous) says...
The driver of the car that was in the accident that you all are critizing here is my cousin, Danika. Please do not speculate why the kids were not in a car seat or restrained until you know the whole story.
July 28, 2008 at 3:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Weltha (anonymous) says...
No one is speculating as to why the kids were not in restraints. They are saying flat out that they should have been in car seats or seat belts. "The whole story" doesn't matter. There is no excuse. The law is the law. I feel sorry for the family that this wreck happened don't get me wrong. But... If that vehicle was moving down the highway/street where ever, THOSE KIDS SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN RESTRAINTS end of story. For crying out loud she the 41 year old woman had hers on.
Zippy- who cares which lady is the parent of which child? THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD SEAT BELTS ON.
July 29, 2008 at 9:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
shopinlisa (anonymous) says...
Yeah and we all know how fast a child can unhook their seat belt too. Sometimes they unhook them without the parent even knowing it.
July 29, 2008 at 11:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LifeGoesOn (anonymous) says...
With two adults in the car, I would think they could handle two children and make sure they were buckled in. On the otherhand many young girls are more interested in doing the things it takes to have a child than they are in doing the things it takes to properly raise the child. I hope someone learned a lesson and all will be ok.
July 30, 2008 at 6:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
nutsaboutools (anonymous) says...
My thoughts & prayers are with all involved. Once again, however, someone had to pay a costly price for not doing something as simple as fastening their seat belt. Those children were very fortunate that they weren't killed. We moved here from NY, where I was a volunteer fireman/paramedic. I can't even count how many times we answered calls to vehicle accidents, to find fatalities that brought tears to my eyes and my partner's. Everyone of the fatalities could have been avoided if they had worn their seat belts. We got to know one child that although he survived, he had gone head first into the windshield, from the back seat (it was estimated that the car was traveling less than 40 mph and slammed head-on into a tree), he's now a paraplegic (from the neck down). He operates a wheel chair and communicates using a "blow" tube and a computer. I don't know how many times I've seen vehicles pass by me, and there's a child or two standing in the back. By the way, we've raised 6 children and never had a problem with them unbuckling themselves, because my wife & I have always used our seat belts and we've discussed & taught our children why it's important to use them.
July 30, 2008 at 11:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
shopinlisa (anonymous) says...
Okay, but think of it is this way. If they are driving down the road, and at the same split instant the accident happens, the kids undo their seatbelt. No one even knows that that happened.
July 30, 2008 at 2:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Oh come on now. This idea of instant undoing of seatbelts is getting ridiculous. I agree with Weltha and the others. These kids should have been restrained, period. If children are trained properly in the use of seat belts to begin with, and taught to sit down and behave, they wouldn't undo their seat belts.
July 30, 2008 at 4:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LifeGoesOn (anonymous) says...
I have to agree with create on this one, I have raised Several Children and not ONCE have they ever undone their seatbelts while driving down the road. Is it possible? sure. Likely? nah.
Either way the parent should have been doing their Job and being responsible, Please people STOP blaming the kids.
July 30, 2008 at 9:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
apsuz (anonymous) says...
I suppose, shopinlisa, that it is possible that both children took off their restraints at the same time, and Brenda removed hers to get the children to put theirs back on. But for some reason, I doubt that. A 7-year old is generally old enough to know better, and if anyone had restraints removed, the vehicle should have been stopped. I have had experience with small children removing/unbuckling restraints, but the vehicle always comes to a stop until they are put back on regardless if it is my own child or someone else's.
That said, I continue to pray for the entire family. I have experienced the loss of a child, and of a parent at a fairly young age (neither due to accidents- both where health issues), and don't wish anyone to go through either of those experiences.
July 30, 2008 at 11:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pollyanna (anonymous) says...
Thanks for sharing apsuz. I'm sorry for your losses. I'm not sure how parents get through day by day when they've lost a child. My prayers go out to all those who have experienced something horrible like that.
That being said..I've got 2 kids who are PLENTY old enough to know better who do continually unbuckle their seat belts for this or that. I've personally also noticed this is the time we are most likely to be involved in an accident. I'm reaching in the back to get them situated, usually hollering, "get that belt back on" all the while my attention is divided between the road and the commotion in the back seat. Yes, I know the smart thing is to pull over and we've done that a time or two, but kids don't always use the brain God gave 'em to stay put!
July 31, 2008 at 8:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
AverageCitizen (anonymous) says...
I have been in a horrible accident where the vehicle rolled end over end 6 times before it came to rest in a field and if I did not have my seatbelt on, I would have been ejected from the car. If my daughter had not been in her car seat in the middle of the back seat, it is possible that she would have been seriously injured as well. Instead the car was completely totaled, I had a scratch on my arm and she was completely untouched. I am a huge supporter of the seatbelt laws and I do practice what I preach.
With that said, I know this family very well and I love them all very much. Several members in the family and myself have voiced concerns in the past about the kids not being buckled up and I enforce the law when they are in my vehicle. However, what no one in this thread has seemed to notice is that in this particular accident, only the person that was wearing a seatbelt was seriously injured. I have seen the Tahoe and I can't believe that they are even alive. Apparently, Danika thought that it was a 4-way stop instead of 2-way and did not continue to yield. At the time of impact, Brenda was thrown over the seat and landed on the boys. Her body shielded them. Alex got a single scratch, Rolando has a broken femur, and Brenda has some pretty gnarly scratches, more like hunks of missing flesh, from her elbows and knees. Poor Danika is finally breathing on her own again and comes in and out of consciousness. The Doctors said that the seatbelt kept her in place and it, (the seatbelt), forced her stomach up into her chest as the force of the semi concaved the body of the vehicle in on her. She also has 2 broken ribs and a broken collarbone. I wonder…if she had not been buckled up, would she have been thrown across the vehicle and away from the point of impact? Or would she have just been thrown from the vehicle and hurt even worse? Or…oh, there are so many scenarios that it is hard to speculate.
I still believe that seat belts should be worn at all times, but in this particular instance, I'm thankful that the 3 weren't. It seems as though that it actually was to their advantage and not their detriment, in this instance.
I am actually having a hard struggle with this whole issue, I usually prefer black/white, cut and dried choices, but this situation seems pretty gray and open to interpretation. I’m sure that if I was more removed from the situation and just heard the facts that were stated in the article I would be as impassioned about the issue as the rest of you, but this is definitely one that I'm going to have to think on.
August 1, 2008 at 2:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
shopinlisa (anonymous) says...
Hi AverageCitizen, Danika is my cousin. Are you related to us or are you a friend of the family's? As you can tell from my previous posts, I have mixed feelings about this too. I am going to try and go up and see Danika on Sunday. Her and I were pretty close growing up. I sure miss those times right now. I am really excited to see her.
August 8, 2008 at 2:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )