Treadmill Cord Leads to Death of Mike Tyson's Daughter

Treadmills pose special dangers in families with children. Boxer Mike Tyson's 4 year-old daughter was found entrapped and strangling in a cord on his home treadmill in a freak accident. The child died of her injuries on 5/26/09. While this could happen with any cord, treadmills should be kept unplugged when not in use if there are small children in the house. Cords of any kind should be secured in a way that helps prevent accidental strangling.

Australian authorities became so concerned with children being injured by treadmills that they issued a public awareness campaign, Treadmills and Kids Don't Mix. The usual treadmill injuries for children are friction burns and finger amputations. Toddlers playing in the same room as a parent on the treadmill often explore the back of the belt, where the parent can't see them. By the time the screaming starts it takes seconds to react, hit the stop button, and the parent not fall off and injure herself in trying to respond to the child's injury.

Treadmills are an attractive nuisance for older children, who are tempted to turn them on and play with them either by running or using them to propel their toys on a conveyor belt. Parents should unplug treadmills when not in use, and fold up and store folding treadmills to make it even more difficult for children to play with them. Folded treadmills can also be a tip-over hazard, so caution is needed to keep them secure.
Treadmill Dangers for Children