Couple's "prank" backfires as son is trapped in washing machine

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/couple-s-prank-backfires-son-gets-trapped-in-washing-machine-213347

Washington: A US couple's prank went horribly wrong after they placed their child inside a washing machine in a public Laundromat. The machine then started to whir into action with the child stuck inside.

CCTV footage shows the couple frantically trying to open the door of machine dryer with several people watching. The toddler was eventually freed by a member of staff after over a minute of being caught in the whirl.

The footage also shows the couple's horror turning into anger at one another, with the video showing the mother walking to the table and slamming her hands down in frustration.

The video was posted on YouTube by a user identified as PrincessZebra, who said the child is safe now, having endured minor injuries. The video has received more than 26,000 hits, media reports said.

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[barbtries]

1. can't make this shit up.

people are really stupid. really, really stupid.

[Initech]

21. ...

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. 100% father's fault. he put the kid in there, the wife wasn't even watching when he did it.

glad the kid is ok. bet they try and sue the laundromat

[freshwest]

3. I hope they end up suing him. What a prick. Description misleading, says 'couple.' Mom didn't do it!

[Arkansas Granny]

5. However, she didn't seem to be alarmed by the father's actions until the machine

started to revolve. It's hard for me to say it's 100% his fault. I'm glad the baby wasn't seriously hurt.

[Kaleva]

6. Appears to me she watched the father put the child in the dryer.

Neither got excited till the dryer started.

Edit: Thankfully the child is all right but he may have memories of this for the rest of his life.

[Liberal_in_LA]

9. I watched again. U are right. Seems she saw it and was ok with it.

[Renew Deal]

23. They should sue the laundromat

There should be signs posted saying that the washer is not a ride for children. How were the parents to know that this was dangerous?

[XemaSab]

4. Sometimes the thought of forcible sterilization

doesn't seem like such a terrible idea after all.

[emilyg]

7. Idiots.

[CTyankee]

8. Does anybody know why they thought this would be in any way a good idea?

Who is it a prank on?

I don't get it. There must be a mental deficiency here somewhere...there is no reason on earth to do this to a little kid.

[DCKit]

10. The dad's probably thinking of running for pResident in a couple of decades.

He's trying to build his cred as a Republic.

[JI7]

13. i don't think it was a prank as much as playing around with the kid

really ,really stupid.

[Raine]

11. STUPID IDIOTS, some people don't deserve to have children and

all children deserve better parents than this.

[bluesbassman]

12. If you watch the video closely, the father just shuts the door.

I don't believe he thought the machine would start up. He did not push any buttons. Who knows what he was thinking when he did it, but it doesn't appear that he intended for the machine to actually run. At least that's how it looks to me.

Dumb thing to do? Certainly, but it looks like an unfortunate result to a poor decision. Just glad the child appears to not have suffered any serious injury.

[Quantess]

14. Poor kid. I hope he/she makes it to adulthood alive.

With parents like that...

[Dash87]

15. Know what would be really funny? Let's put baby Adam in the washing machine!

What were they thinking?

[Mz Pip]

16. A perfect example of

unintended consequences. Also known as a "shit for brains" moment.

Probably done impulsively without giving any thought to what might happen if the machine started. Hopefully these parents will have learned to think a few seconds before proceding on with playing a joke on the kid.

[CTyankee]

17. I used to think I had shit for brains because I was such a young parent of 3 children.

But never, in my wildest imagination, would I have considered doing anything NEAR this.

I truly do not understand. I hope they are ordered by a court to undergo psychological therapy and the child is in another setting while they are going through it. I don't think that kid is safe...

[Arkansas Granny]

18. Parenting classes would appear to be in order, also.

[thelordofhell]

19. What's worse is that it seems like the staff member has been through this before

I bet you the couple are thinking about suing the laundromat.......people are stupid

[Kaleva]

20. Probably sue for not having warning labels clearly posted.

[Major Nikon]

22. And the washing machine manufacturer as well

The next thing you know, all washing machines manufactured after a certain date will be required to have a failsafe to prevent stupid people from doing this.

[Son of Gob]

24. Seems silly that the doors don't open

Why would you want to lock someone's clothes away. You should be able to open the dryer whenever you want.

As for the video, I'm not going to lie, I laughed. Only because I read he wasn't seriously injured before hand. It seemed like a Benny Hill sketch with how fast everyone was moving.

[Nolimit]

25. Probably because of theft

I'm guessing they lock so people don't have to risk leaving and getting their things stolen. The laundromat I used 4 years ago had machines that didn't lock and you pretty much had to sit right in front of them so meth heads didn't steal your clothes.

[-..__...]

27. It was a washing machine...

not a dryer.

The door locks until the final cycle is complete so water doesn't spill out all over the floor.

Otherwise... someone would sue over a slip and fall.

[Son of Gob]

29. That explains it

I read the article again and they say it's a washing machine first, then a paragraph later they said it was a dryer. Poorly written article.

[Zanzoobar]

26. Scrape them off

Or educate them in the proper use of commercial laundry equipment.

Clothing: Yes
People: No

[Gore1FL]

28. Reminds me of a Friday Night Cranks Call: