18-Month-Old Boy Dies In Auto-Start Dishwasher

By Anastacia Mott Austin

A Maytag dishwasher that automatically starts its wash cycle when its door is closed is responsible for the death of 18-month-old Arkansas toddler Clifton "Blake" Kurk, say local authorities.

Police officers were called to the boy’s home Wednesday afternoon after Blake’s 13-year-old brother discovered him in the dishwasher, which was running. The toddler’s mother was apparently at work and his father was sleeping when he was found.

"The baby’s blanket was lying in front of the dishwasher, so [the brother] opened it," said Jeremy Clark, chief deputy at the White County Sheriff’s Office, to reporters. "I believe the [older brother] walked out of the room, realized that his little brother wasn’t there, heard the dishwasher on and found that odd."

According to police reports, the toddler had burns all over his body, and the probable cause of death was heat exposure.

The Maytag model dishwasher had passed strict child-safety testing, said Monica Teague, a representative for the Whirlpool Corporation, which manufactures Maytag appliances. "All our appliances go through rigorous testing," said Teague to the press, adding, "The death of any child is tragic."

A recent study in the journal Pediatrics reveals that household accidents are a leading cause of death for children, especially children aged four years and younger, and that constant parental supervision is needed to help keep young children safe in the home.

Though the police are exploring the issues surrounding the death of Blake Kurk, including how he got into the dishwasher and whether he had adequate parental supervision at the time, there was no record of prior police calls to the Kurk residence. The incident is being investigated as accidental. "What we have found out so far would suggest that this is a tragic accident. However, the case is still open and we’re still looking," reported Clark.

Added Clark to reporters, "They’ve suffered a tragic loss. I don’t want to lose focus of that."