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Child, 3, drowns in grease pit at Auburn ice cream shop

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Trussville Tribune staff

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88 Comments

  1. 1

    Mick Phillips

    Praying for the Family.

  2. 2

    Nancy Smith

    My heart breaks for this family. Praying for them.

  3. 3

    Vickie Williams Perry

    So sad, praying for this family.

  4. 4

    Kathy Martin Williams

    So, so sad. Praying for the family.

  5. 5

    Tim Sproles

    Why does an ice cream parlor have a grease pit? And where were the parents?

  6. 6

    Pamela Whittington Shepard

    Oh my heart hurts for this family!

  7. 7

    Beverly Elders Cross

    God bless her sweet heart. Prayers for her family.

  8. 8

    Laurel LaRussa Ard

    So heartbreaking!
    Prayers for the family..

  9. 9

    Amber Fox Greene

    How was a child able to fall into it?!? Those poor parents. So sorry for your loss

  10. 10

    Amber Fox Greene

    The parents are suffering enough without your blame.

  13. 13

    Louise Waters

    How horrible. Prayers for family

  14. 14

    Holley Webb Willis

    Amber Fox Greene Amen!! A 3 yr old can get away so fast ! The parents don’t need all the criticism

  15. 15

    Betty J. Williamson

    How awful! So sad! Prayers for this family.

  16. 16

    Amanda Riddle Crump

    Accidents can happen to any of us! For context from al.com: The grease trap is a six-foot deep, in-ground container. Sadie was playing in the area, which has picnic tables and a grassy area where children play, an official said. It wasn’t the first time the Andrews family had visited the ice cream shop for the children to play and have treats. Lee County Coroner Bill Harris said Sadie stepped onto the lid of the grease trap, which apparently wasn’t locked or secured, and fell in when the door opened. The door closed on top of her, he said.

    Police said officers had already been dispatched to the scene because the girl was missing. When officers arrived, CPR was being was being performed. She was taken to East Alabama Medical Center, where efforts to revive her were unsuccessful, police said.

  18. 18

    Tom Steber

    Good Lord how awful. RIP little Angel.

  19. 19

    Joan Wade Carroll

    How tragic. Prayers for this family.

  20. 20

    Debbie C. Lawley

    My heart breaks! Prayers up

  21. 21

    Josie Smith

    So Sad, Praying for family

  22. 22

    Tim Sproles

    I’m not blaming but most parents don’t let 5 year olds out of their sight these days. And they shouldn’t. Being 3 doesn’t give kids free range to go wherever they want. My sympathy goes out to the family but still. What ice cream parlor has a reason for a grease pit is my point.

  24. 24

    Vickie Cobb

    Poor baby and bless this family!

  25. 25

    Tara Bradshaw Sellers

    This makes me cringe. What a horrible death. So sad. Prayers for her family!

  26. 26

    Jordan Elliott

    This could have happened in literally 30 seconds. I’m guessing you don’t have kids. If you did, you’d know the 4.2 million things that can distract you, and you’d know how terrifying quickly a child can do just about anything. If you do in fact have kids, I pray for an abundant amount of grace and protection to fall on all of the moments that you have to look away from them.

  29. 29

    Arlene Sanders

    So sorry to hear this Praying for this family

  30. 30

    Rhonda Sajjadieh

    Total heartbreak!!! Prayers prayers

  31. 31

    Rhonda Sajjadieh

    If the description of how the child fell in is accurate then this is obviously gross negligence on the part of the business! Pls tell me they are closed for business until the investigation is complete!!! This should never have happened

  32. 32

    Kathryn Tomlin

    Prayers for the family.

  33. 33

    Kelly Campbell Deason

    This is heartbreaking. Praying for her family

  34. 34

    Christie Bethune Koehler

    Prayers for this family. Heartbreaking

  36. 36

    Carole Egtvedt Ezekiel

    Friends in our Sunday School class asked for prayer for the family this morning. The parents and child were close friends of their son, his wife and baby. The 2 kids were friends. They are devastated.

  37. 37

    Charlene Wilson Scharf

    God bless the family as they grieve the most horrible loss a parent can experience.

  41. 41

    Jaycylyn Kelley Nail

    Lifting the family up in prayer!!

  43. 43

    Amanda Ryan

    Prayers for this family.

  44. 44

    Tim Sproles

    So why does an ice cream parlor need it?

  45. 45

    Rachel Hogan

    Prayers for the family ! My heart goes out to all !

  46. 46

    Monica Lergier

    Tim Sproles they make waffle cones. Oil and grease used to make those cones need somewhere to go. Hence, a grease pit.

  47. 47

    Tim Sproles

    And I don’t have children. But if I had 3 year old, I think I could have avoided this. Keep your eyes on your kids. That’s also a message here

  48. 48

    Amber Fox Greene

    Tim Sproles just keep your comments to yourself. You are not helping the situation. If you ever do have children, I hope nothing as tragic as this happens to you.

  50. 50

    Eva Davis Brown

    Tim Sproles You said it. You don’t have kids. Mine are 26 and 17 and now with grands. There is no parent if a 3 yo who hasn’t panicked in a split second and said “Where is…”. You will remember this one day no matter how much you protest it now.

  52. 52

    Kelli Penque

    This comment is unnecessary and very disturbing. The article states the parents didn’t find her until 5-10 minutes, toddlers can get away in the blink of an eye. Considering they found her that fast I would say the parents acted very quickly. Additionally, this is an ice cream shop that the family was familiar with and frequented. Have you never, in your entire (and ignorant) life felt more comfortable at a place you know vs one you don’t know? My guess is you have. Shame on you for putting blame on these parents who are grieving the loss of a child. This is not a scenario where the parent didn’t realize their child was missing several hours later. Get off whatever high horse you pride yourself on and show some common decency. If you’re going to make assumptions about a situation, by God make it an intelligent one. You have clearly shown your backside on this thread. Honestly, people like you (self-righteous high horse riders) worry me more than people who make mistakes. There is no telling what all you’ve done, while still feeling better than those around you. Research your opinion next time before you make such an inaccurate, embarrassing remark.

  55. 55

    Margaret Ragsdale Mize

    And why was this in ground grease pit not covered? This is terrible. Prayers for the family.

  56. 56

    Cynthia Crow

    So so sad
    What a beautiful little girl. Prayers for family.

  57. 57

    Jerry Suggs

    So very sad. God bless this family

  58. 58

    Tim Sproles

    You might all want to call me heartless and you’re entitled to. You don’t know me. My heart goes out to the family for their loss. But no one has answered my original question. Why does an ice cream parlor have a grease pit? And one at that an innocent 3 year old can get into easily and die? Sounds like a bad idea

  59. 59

    Carol Panter

    WHAT? Who knew grease pits were built like that? Not THIS girl! What a horrible design flaw.

  60. 60

    Tjo Johnson

    My heart goes out to this family. Such a heartbreaking accident. Praying that God will give them the strength to make it through this difficult time.

  61. 61

    Tjo Johnson

    It was covered. She stepped on the lid and it wasn’t secured so she fell in.

  63. 63

    Zana Carter

    What a beautiful little soul!! Can’t imagine what this family is going through! Anything like this trap shouldn’t be anywhere near where people walk – Should be in back and surrounded by a gate – relying on someone to do their job to make sure locked correctly shouldn’t be the case either- I never walked on anything or try not to drive over grates in road if possible- Sure no one would of dreamed something like this would happen – A terrible design for something like this where people can obviously just walk onto the lid- Immediate action should be taken to fix these contraptions so no others have to endure such a heartbreaking tragedy as this family!

  64. 64

    Zana Carter

    Grease pits for waffle cones – The design and evidently lack of back up safety for this contraption is horrible- Should be out of an area where people can walk right on top of a lid to a hole below- Should be gated around it just like a pool or anything like that- Immediate actions should be taken to inspect and correct these all over but it most likely won’t be-

  65. 65

    Zana Carter

    A Wisconsin boy fell into one – A plastic lid gave way with him but he survived- probably more stories- Something that stupid of a design should be corrected!! How does it pass inspections? The companies that make them should be changing the lids-

  66. 66

    Melanie Caudle

    This is so very sad, I can not even imagine what her poor parents are going through, my heart goes out to them & may God give them the strength to get through this most horrific time in their lives.

  67. 67

    Michael Gallagher

    It was a grease trap in the plumbing line.that separates grease/oil from waste water. Not an aboveground waste grease/oil container.

  68. 68

    Karen Mckinney

    So sorry this happened. Prayers for family.

  69. 69

    Michele Duckworth Ewers

    So sad. Praying for the family.

  71. 71

    Tim Hollis

    I agree with Tim Sproles. Parents today want to blame everything and everybody but themselves when stuff like this happens. If you’re so “distracted” maybe put your damn phone down and pay attention to your kids. Oh and I am father of 2 by the way. Mine have survived to 9 and 13 so far. Guess I’m just not so “distracted ” when I take them places.

  72. 72

    Tim Hollis

    So sad yet another young life gone because parents don’t watch their kids. I guess all you guys blamed the zoo during the harambe murder. Everybody wants to blame everything but the parents. Sorry this could have been avoided by simply paying attention

  73. 73

    Donna Jean Pruitt Scott

    So sad prayers for her family.

  74. 74

    Taylor Goodwin Sheppard

    not a design flaw.. a parenting flaw.

  75. 75

    Lois Grooms

    Dear Jesus, Please be with this family in a special way.

  76. 76

    Connie Echols Alexander

    So sad. Prayers for the family.

  79. 79

    Diane Smith Frazier

    Oh how terrible and tragic! Parents please hold on to your kids!

  81. 81

    Laura Longest Reed

    The grease pit is likely because the ice cream is high fat, some places require one for anything like that so fat doesn’t get into the sewer system.
    The lid wasn’t secured or like it was supposed to be anyway. They are heavy and supposed to be secured.
    This isn’t the first child to fall in/drown in one either, though it’s rare😔

  82. 82

    Laura Longest Reed

    Taylor Goodwin Sheppard not a parenting flaw, a business negligence flaw

  83. 83

    Tracie Puckett

    So so sad! Sorry for your loss of this precious little angel for you & your family.

  85. 85

    Brett Taylor

    Dude shut the fuck up.

  86. 86

    Brett Taylor

    Im guessing it was a grease trap cover.They are nessesary to have.I wouldnt blame the Ice cream shop yet.Maybe look at the company that had been servicing the grease trap.Im so sorry to hear this.

  87. 87

    Patricia Thrasher

    Heartbreaking! Prayers for the family! 🙁

  88. 88

    Debbie Richardson Conner

    That’s cold. And it’s inappropriate on a post like this.

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