Quote: It is a very tragic story - but really if something good could come from this - then yes - lets all learn the Heimlich Maneuver - and yes even for ourselves. It works! My thoughts go out for the family!

Nice pic GrovePath, did you draw that yourself. lol
Im going to teach my kids that.

Wow, what a shame. Can you imagine....

Quote:
and yes, 12 is about the age one starts babysitting, so it's perfectly reasonable for her to have been home alone!

Everyone should learn how to do the Heimlich Maneuver on themselves - and those who have chosen to have kids should take the time to teach them too.

Statistically popcorn is rather high on the choke list but the number one choke risk is from peanut butter.

Of course, most 12 year olds are fully competent to be home alone. I as fully competent at 7 when I watched my 4 year old brat of a sister.

Don't they start to babysit at that age ?

12-year-old Jersey City girl home alone is what sounds messed up first of all.
Isnt there a age when you can keep your kids home alone?

Girl's tragic death choking on food

Wednesday, April 29, 2009
By CHARLES HACK
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

A 12-year-old Jersey City girl died alone in her family's apartment Sunday afternoon when she apparently choked on some food, authorities say.

Magdalena Gonzalez's family returned to their second-floor apartment on New York Avenue at 6:30 p.m. and found her lifeless body on the bedroom floor and a plate of food on the bed, police reports said.

A source said the girl choked on some popcorn.

Police and firefighters rushed to the home, but there was nothing they could do.

Magdalena was a sixth-grader at Christa McAuliffe School 28 on Hancock Avenue and was in the school's bilingual program, said Paula Christen, a spokeswoman for Jersey City school district. She previously attended School 8 on Franklin Avenue.

"Our thoughts are with the family at this time," said School 28 Principal Janet Elder, who declined to comment further.

Magdalena's mom, Lucine Cantera, was distraught yesterday and declined to be interviewed.

Administrators at School 28 described Magdalena as "very studious" and a "lovely person."

Grief counselors were on hand at the school Monday to help students deal with the news, and the school is holding a collection to help the family fulfill their wishes to bury Magdalena in Mexico, school officials said. The family is from Huatulco in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Neighbors said that several people lived in the apartment and that the family kept to themselves.

Teresa Gomez, a neighbor, said she used to see the girl riding her bike to school and described her as "very quiet."

Another neighbor, Nilsa Garcia, said the family members are churchgoers. "I can't believe it. The girl is beautiful - a really nice girl," Garcia said.