Miami-Dade County and City of Miami officials have called for an investigation into the safety of playgrounds following the death of a teenager two weeks ago in what appears to be a freak accident.
Miami Commissioner Rolando Escalona said on Thursday that he has directed the city administration to close off access to enclosed slides in city parks and has requested an investigation into the safety of playground equipment across the city after an incident in Shenandoah.
Estefania Balladares told CBS News Miami that her son, 13-year-old Olvin Cabrera Balladares, was found inside a slide at the Shenandoah Park playground on Sept. 25 and then hospitalized. He died Oct. 1. She said it appeared that his t-shirt collar got caught on a screw inside a slide causing him to choke.
The circumstances surrounding his death are under investigation.
READ MORE: Miami city commissioner asks for safety review of playground equipment after 13-year-old boy's death
"While this incident remains under investigation, we have asked the city administration to conduct a thorough review of the incident at Shenandoah Park," Escalona said. "We will continue to follow the review closely as more information becomes available."
“We are taking action because this should never happen again, regardless of the facts,” Escalona told WLRN.
A city spokeswoman told Local News 10 that enclosed slides at Shenandoah Park, Children’s Park, Southside Park and Fern Isle Park have been closed. All other playground equipment remains available for use.
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Milian Orbis has followed Escalona’s example and asked the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department to inspect playground slides throughout the county, with particular attention to enclosed and tube slides.
“My heart goes out to Olvin’s family during this incredibly difficult time,” Commissioner Orbis said. “Since this tragedy, I have heard from parents who are understandably concerned about playground safety. As a mother, I understand those concerns. Families should be able to take their children to our parks knowing we are doing everything reasonably possible to keep them safe.”
Orbis commended Escalona for directing the temporary closure of enclosed slides at city parks as a precaution.
Escalona said he is looking to change policy when it comes to children being alone in parks. Balladares told Local 10 her son was supposed to be at school but instead went to the playground.
“ If you think about it, if that kid was there with somebody or somebody who [could] have seen him or something like that, maybe this whole situation could have been avoided,” he said.
Escalona said the investigation into city playground safety he requested should be done by next Friday. He said enclosed slides will remain off limits until the police investigation into Cabrera Balladares' death has also concluded.
