whynot2
why didn’t he check? That is my question too!! why wasnt’t the ambulance called? OMG.. I know it cost like 500 for them just to come out of the garage…but -so what.. Its a life here!! .why didn’t they call them them to come? I would be beyond angry… I hear that mothers plea…sad , sad story..I am so sorry for your loss…hopefully it is not because of a crooked person in your town or something
Larry Sellers
It’s obvious that the only reason this is coming to light is because someone is suing someone else. I find it hard to believe that there wasn’t ‘obvious signs of death’ before someone had the decency to cover this poor girls body. The ‘mother’ of this young victim should be ASHAMED of herself for putting the firefighters and EMT’s through this. No where does it state that a trained and licensed EMT has to perform CPR on a victim that has ‘obvious signs’ that death has occurred…I don’t think there’s any need to list them here . A simple review of an autopsy report can avoid having to drag these people through the mud. I’m sure the incident will not be forgotten by all those involved. Let this poor innocent child rest in peace!
deez
an ambulance was at the scene and transported the injured people.
o2fishmore
I agree with Sellers. Why is it that there is no longer anything called an accident. What in the name of God does this woman hope to gain? These people put themselves in harms way, just by the nature of what they see every day. Maybe this mom should have been more careful about who her daughter was riding with. Is she also suing the weatherman? the parents of the driver? the driver of the other vehicle? the men who poured the hot top on the road….etc…
Maybe next time there won’t be any first responders because they’ve all been sued out of work.
smokeyjoe
The issue here is the failure to complete proper documentation. Without the documentation there is no way to accurately say what action was or wasn’t taken at the scene.
caraj191
If I remember correctly this was Lucy Wightman’s only child . No one can fathom the pain of losing a child unless you have been through it yourself. What ever gives you solace Lucy .
TiaMarie
I think a mother deserves answers. She filed a Complaint — not a lawsuit. Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance to save her daughter, but without those important reports, apparently she will never know…how sad.
Spring-Heeled-Jack
I remember Princess Cheyanne. God bless you Lucy!
mrfward
The process is in place for a reason, and I think that this mother has every right to file a complaint since her daughter was killed. I guess she had a point since there were some issues and if a law suit comes of it, that is also her right. I am very greatful to all the public safety officials work but they are not above scrutiny. next door joe 1 week ago
Why wasn’t ambulances from neighboring Kingston, Pembroke or Halifax summonsed for this accident. Why were Ambulances called to come from Plymouth and Weymouth. 45 minutes away.
i’ll tell you why, b/c Chief rich works for AMR Ambulance. That really sucks for the wrightman family.
CARL_S
As other commentators have said, the mother lost her child and has a right to know what kind of care her child recieved, and the paperwork is also a way for the mother to try to come to grips on what happened.
The EMT’s I’ve run into do a great job, but all the mother is asking for is for proper documentation, which she is entitled to.
HotHandRand
Ms. Wightman, if I am correct, practiced psychology without a license. She could have killed someone indirectly/or even directly by her actions. Not that it changes what happened to her daughter, and for that we should all feel sad. However, that horse well out of the barn, she has now created another problem. The EMTs and Chief that were out there, doing the BEST THAT THEY CAN in a situation, are now in trouble. Everyone expects perfection today….keep it up folks…not being satisfied. This is just another case that will cause a lot more potentially good Health Care, and Public Safety people to take a walk. These people risk enough in harms way. Now we want to go after their assets too. Thats what this will boil down to later, trying to take what someone who didnt even commit a crimes money….Its all about the deepest or actually whoevers pockets can be emptied. Why bother doing anything for humanity!!!! Sadly probably every EMT there and the Chief would give up quite a bit more willfully if they could change all of what happened. This is sad all the way around!!!!
JudgeHardin
where is phelan 09 to blame it on tom koch?
YellowDog
First off who the hell are all you morons to question this mother who lost her daughter.the chief really ‘SCREWED UP HERE’And to all you people who lack brain’s that work,look up a case in NYC where the first ambulance crew JUST LOOKED at a women and said dud she’s DEAD.thank god the MOTHER called a diff. ambulance service and guess what .they did the CORRECT thing and checked for vitals signs.and guess what..Yes she did have vitals…and this women LIVED.So hey Larry sellers this blows your ‘obvious signs’ idea. my suggestion is to STRIP all those ‘EMTS’ at the scene as they need SERIOUS RETRAINING(Hope I never get hurt in that town your as good as dead)Hope the mother gets a Good Lawyers and sues them for millions.and to the morons I worked as EMT for 22years on the Job.In this day and age NO ONE CALLED AND AMBULANCE WHAT A SHAME FOR HER TO DIE>
YellowDog
MAKES ME SICK JUST READING THAT STORY OF THAT POOR CHILD.AND ESP. THE STUPID RESPONCES.ALL THE PEOPLE READY TO SHOOT DOWN THE MOTHER IF THAT WAS YOUR DAUGHTER IN THAT CAR.BUT YOULL CHANGE YOUR TUNE…..HUH…..SHAME,SHAME,SHAME ON ALL THE PEOPLE AT THAT SCENCE WHO FAILED THAT GIRL.
Ken Berma
This is what happens when you have a volunteer Fire Department. The town needs to protect it’s citizens with REAL firefighters. I’m not saying the men who responded are bad guys, they obviously care or they wouldn’t volunteer. But I don’t want a mechanic coming to the rescue. And I don’t want a firefighter fixing my car. God bless the family who lost a child.
lboogie77
wow….it’s hard to comment on this story, I mean if that poor child had a chance at survivng….man, someone has a lot of explaining to do. I will never ever underestimate the medical professionsla, but someone needs to admit that they messed up. This poor mother, regardless of what she has done in her past or if this is her only child or fourteenth, this woman has unanswered questions and she is doing what needs to be done in order to get them answered. So sorry for the loss of that child and I am so sorry that the medics are being dragged through the mud. Let’s hope that they all learn from this….
fatman
next door joe you need to read the article a little closer. No where in the article does it say that a weymouth or plymouth ambulance was called.
‘According to the state report, Plymptons town ambulance was dispatched at 11:02 a.m. and arrived at the accident at 11:09 a.m. An ambulance from the American Medical Response medical service was dispatched from the fire department at 11:09 a.m. and arrived at 11:15.’
Both response times seem appropriate to me. The chief certainly double checked what he was told and assured that all of the proper reports had been filed according to state regulations. I feel for the mother and her loss but by dragging this out in the courts to get some money isn’t going to change the fact that her daughter was killed.
YellowDog
TO….O2fishmore……….WOW what college stole your money…..dumbest thing Ive read here ever …These people put themselves in harms way…WOW thats soooo sad huh…what a tough Job they have my goodness Harmes way huh….tell me were they FORCED to take that job…ahhh NOPE….Did they know what the job was about ..ah..duh I hope so…and you go so low as to BLAME the mother of the girl who Died…pick her friends ….go climb under a rock you lowlife…
fatman
Typo in my previous comment I meant to say the cheif should have double checked everything the EMT’s on the scene did and said they did.
YellowDog
to hothandrand………….this is the BEST THEY CAN DO TO SAVE LIFES…..GUESS WHAT THEY DID NOT DO THEIR JOB CORRECTLY..expects perfection huh WOW DID YOU THINK HARD ABOUT THAT DUMB COMMENT…..BEFORE YOU TYPED IT…….THEY DIDNT DO THEIR JOB….PERIOD!!! LOOK UP THE LAWS REGUARDING EMTS ….read MGL-CHAPTER 111C,SECTION13…….READ WHAT THEY DIDNT DO……..
Taxpayer99
Ken Berma…..unfortunatly I believe you to be 100% correct concerning Call Fire Depts.
Its not that they’re bad guys or intentionally careless. I just believe in this day and age, The Town is responsible to provide adequate public safety ie: professionals.
next door joe
To Fat Man: The papers don’t always get the whole story.
The inside and real story is an AMR truck came from the Weymouth/Quincy line. 45 min later arrived to take Mom and Her kids to the Hosp.
Haven’t you ever read a paper before man?
Larry Sellers
Sorry, you should take responsibility for your actions. Don’t make a very BAD decision and then blame those who try and help.
Taxpayer99
Lazy union guy…..for the last time….get out of your momma’s basement and do something with yourself.
You know and I know you aren’t in the union….nor do you even hold a job.
Your a middle aged, most likely divorced at least once, have a couple of kids your on the hook for, got kicked out of the service, failed all your Civil Service exams, now, maybe if your lucky you can pick up a security guard shift overnight, because the full time Guard banged out.
Am I pretty close Lazy one?
Talk about a bum.
And…….. I am glad to know you hold the toll collectors unions above firemen
Ken Berma
lazyunionguy,
You would cry like a little girl if you were in a burning building. Thank God you flunked the civil service exam.
PhatMike
Plympton runs 1 BLS ambulance, AMR is contracted and provides 1 ALS truck to Plympton (Plympton M1) which runs out of Plympton the second ambulance came from Plympton not Plymouth or Weymouth
Joanne Brown
To those of you expressing your support and sympathy to Lucy I want to say thank you. To some others I’d like to say to stay on topic. To o2fishmore I think you are an ass but hey you are not the only one. And yes if my Mother was alive I could say that to her at the dinner table.
YellowDog
Hey Chiefy remember DAY ONE EMT Training..Document,Document,Document to cover yourself in court..NO Reports..WOW ..1st year law stedent could win this case against you and your TOWN….MALFEASENCE..To Mr Moron Oh I mean HOTHANDRAND…practiced psychology without a license Mr Moron Wow you looked up and found some legal issues the mother had in the past and you have the goll to dig that up and share it with the readers….That has NOTHING TO DO WITH HER DAUGHTER DIEING….Look go in the bathroom and look in the mirror and just keep saying ‘I AM A MORON JUST OVER AND ONER.YOU SHOULD BEG THAT MOTHER FOR FORGIVNESS TO WHAT A MORON YOU ARE…what in the hell does your dumb statement have to do w/her daughter being killed….TO Joanne Brown I don’t know you But I am glad she has your support …Keep up the good work. I have prayed for her and her angel..God Bless……
wongzilla
As any EMT or medical professional knows IF IT WAS NOT DOCUMENTED IT NEVER HAPPENED! the chief f@!#ed up royally. He now needs to live with the choice he made and possiblely a death he caused you never take someone elses assesement you do your own. The mother has every right to question treatment. My prayers for her and her family. For those who queston EMTs and firefighters I dont see you doing thier job I have been a EMT FOR 15 years and RN for 10.I also started out as a volunteer EMT and in some parts of this country that is all they have. Even ambulance transport is volunteer. most of these agencies are supported through public and private donations. I would rather have someone who volunteers then some one who dose it just as a job. for those who wonder how this happens I would like to see you on scene with multiple injuries,vehicles,traffic control, scene safety and gawker control most of the time the FD and EMTs are first on scene before PD and need to deal with this. Dont condem thoes that you have not walked in thier shoes.
RoVaut
I am a Plympton resident with a 16-year-old child at Silver Lake. My child is learning to drive and hopes to get his license in about 6 months. I know how many hours of class and driving time are spent trying to prepare children to drive independantly, but this accident serves as a stark reminder that it isn’t enough. Drivers are being prepared for a world in which everyone else obeys the rules of the road, conditions are perfect, and the belief that as long as the driver is sober and focused only on driving, there is nothing that can hurt you. That world sadly does not exist.
I would like to comment on the actual reporting of the article. I am disappointed in the tone of the article. The reporter took the report of the State Office of Medical Service that criticized the Plympton Fire Department’s paperwork and reporting system, and used it to make a judgement of the on-site care that was provided to the victims of this terrible tragedy. That to me is not acceptable. This issue is about paperwork. It is great to make a law stating that all reports must be 100% complete and accurate, but the reality is that in this line of work, all EMT’s (regardless of full-time, part-time or call/volunteer status) behave professionally, save every life they can, treat every injury in order of severity. God help us if our world values perfect paperwork before lifesaving hands-on care. I wonder if the State asked the other girls in the car their opinion of the care they got.
stevefo
way to go ‘lazyunionguy’ make up a moronic name like you have and try to make the world believe you are a union member.and then come up with idiotic comments like the ones you made.YA MORON
stevefo
sad to say there are only losers in this whole accident. mistakes happen in life. let the girl rest in peace and move on with life. my sympathies are also with the driver of the car and her family. she will live with this for the rest of her life. i speak from experience
Joanne Brown
And how is it that a Mother just says mistakes happen and moves on with her life without her child? Especially when her daughter was taken in this way. And with the ‘mistakes’ that occured on the scene of this accident how do you just let them go? I would think people would want these errors looked into to prevent what could be future deaths. I hope Torri has found peace and I know that if she were here she would back her Mother up all the way on pursuing what needs to be addressed!!!
To YellowDog.. peace be with you. ;)
blogmog
What upsets me most about this ‘accidental’ oversight/ absence of documentation is the following:
1) The absence of any documented action by caregivers who assessed or assisted the girl who was killed allows for the possibility that there was, in fact, no assessment or assistance administered. Was she possibly overlooked because she ‘appeared’ dead? The family deserves to know. That possibility is profoundly disturbing. Teenagers don’t just ‘die’—their hearts can beat for hours despite mortal wounds, and their hearts can stop with trauma and restart with appropriate management. It needs to be known what was done at the scene to verify death. A glance doesn’t cut it. What if the fire chief misheard? or the off-duty EMT was talking about another of the unconscious girls in the car?
2) The possibility that Torri Wightman was alive at the scene, but died from neglect, is not only profoundly disturbing, but allows for even more of the responsibility for her death to be deflected from the driver’s shoulders—where it clearly lies. The timing of this complaint can only help Ms. Leith dodge more accountability. Apart from the her negligence in skipping school and corraling her friends to join in without enforcing a seatbelt rule in her car, it is quite simple to show if speeding was a factor by dividing the distance from Torri’s school to the accident scene, and dividing it by the travel time from pick up to the crash. I am sure that there are phone texts/calls or classmates that could offer these. Any efforts to distract from these facts seems an effort in behalf of Ms.Leith’s defense team.
3) Is it certain that no report was written? Or has it somehow gone missing ‘by accident’? Should the charges of vehicular manslaughter be dropped? Maybe it wasn’t Ms Leith’s dangerous driving that is at fault…but the abscence of any intervention at the scene? This missing report opens up a whole panacea of distractions to the real issue here.
I am sorry for the victims in the car that day—and their families. Their children deserved to receive the best care available——whether they ‘appeared’ living or not. The suggestion that they didn’t get that, or that they didn’t ‘look’ like they would benefit from any, is just callous and disturbing.
johnny_moore
If my child were killed in an acciedent and the response from the fire chief was , Gee, I don’t remember looking at her???’ I’d be pretty pissed off as well. Sound like a responder looked in the vehicle saw a mess and decided the kid was dead and covered her with a sheet.
Theres no record of what they saw, said Renee Lake, the state offices compliance coordinator. Thats the whole point of this (report). We are unable to determine what she (Wightman) looked like, or anything.
PhatMike
What happened is most definitely an awful tragedy. And it is easy for people to sit and throw stones, wongzilla is correct they say ’ Dont condem thoes that you have not walked in thier shoes.’ Should this have been more properly documented, most likely. I am sure rescue crews were faced with a horrific scene that night. There are also things to take into consideration did the accident scene justify calling an MCI Was an MCI called? And although this was not a big enough incident to necessarily justify it it is OEMS protocol that in an MCI incident when multiple patients are present and many different agencies become involved, you triage the patients , black red, yellow, green black being defined as Deceased or live patients with obvious fatal and non-resuscitatable injuries. And in a large scale MCI when you transport patients you bring them into the emergency room and leave to go back to the scene if needed you are not required to document those patients. What happened is in fact awful and my heart goes out to the Family’s of all involved but for everyone else dont be so quick to judge these rescuers you have no idea what they face.
blogmog
What is an MCI and and OEMS? I am not judging the workers there. I do understand that these scenes can be chaotic. I witnessed an accident once and pulled over after calling 911. As I was being questioned by police, I heard an EMT shout ‘there’s another fatality in the black sedan.’ From this I presumed there were at least two deaths. I learned in the paper the next day that there were no deaths at all.
From what I know of this accident in 2006, the girl who was killed did not go to any emergency room. The Kingston Observer posted pictures of the crash-site showing the girl covered in a sheet hours later. It was horrific to do that, and worse still to consider now that maybe that sheet was the only attention received. Unless the off duty EMT was running around with a stethoscope and pen light to check hearts and pupils before the Fire Chief arrived? In that case, maybe he could report now what he assessed? SOMEONE at the scene needs to come forth with this data—document or not. If noone can do this, then this is truly a heartbreaking consideration for her family and friends.
PhatMike
Sorry, MCI is Mass Casualty or Multiple Casualty Incident, and OEMS is The Office Of Emergency Medical Services the agency that oversees all MA ambulances. MCI being any incident where The number of sick and injured patients exceeds the resources available, and help must be brought in from other agencies ect. From another article I have read There were 8 patients which in a small town such as Plympton could potentially be a small scale MCI.
CVaut
I live near the actual accident scene. I was home that day and I can tell you there were multiple ambulances waiting in my driveway and surrounding area waiting to transport victims. As soon as someone was able to be moved from the vehicle they were loaded into a truck and transported to the hospital. I watched the police and fire work the scene…..I can tell you personally they worked extremely hard on those victims and tried to save every person. As far as paperwork goes….well I dont have any idea how the town handled that. I can tell you that the car accident scene was very intense and those responders whether paid or volunteer tried their hardest to save lives.
I am very sorry for the loss of this family. I witnessed that Mom at the crash scene for m
onths. Nobody can question the pain and suffering that she is going thru. Nobody should have to bury a child.
We all try to raise our children to make smart decisions and to use good judgement. The teenagers made a mistake that day by skipping school and had the bad luck of getting into an accident. I am sure that those girls if given the chace would turn back the clock and stay in school for the day.
I do wonder tho….the mom worked as a phsychologist without proper paperwork. (license) Ironic that now she is on the receiving end of possible incomplete or proper paperwork.
blogmog
lol CVaut. you must be very angry at her to include that zinger in the last line of your (seamingly) empathic post. Makes me wonder if you even live near the scene, or if you just made all that up so you could get your knocks in. I hope when/if you ever lose a child that you are able to be met by kindness from others, and not slammed every chance they get. If we were all judged by strangers on our worst moments or decisions—be they the decision to leave school on a whim, or to begin work so as not to be in school when our only child is a toddler, or to take a cheap shot at a mourning mother, then what a skewed perspective people would have of us. You should be ashamed at your lack of restraint.
CVaut
Blog mog……I am not angry with the mom at all. I feel very badly for her and everything that she has gone thru. I just added that comment at the end because it is ironic about the paperwork piece of it. I personally dont know the family, dont care what she does for a living. People do what they need to do to support their family and it is their decision completely. I didnt write a comment on here to ‘get my knocks in’ as you put it. If you think that the case…..well thats your issue.
I think that there is more to this story than the reporter writes. There is more to the situation with the kids, more to the mom and more to the fire dept. angle. We are not involved directly with the investigation or these families so we honestly dont know all the details. Nobody can make an informed decision on it without all the pieces of information. Unless you can see all the reports and documentation, interview all the people at the scene and review all the details it is impossible for people reading a newspaper to know what happened.
RoVaut
Are you serious Blogmog? Did you actually hope that CVaut (and myself, btw) lose a kid so that she can see what the mother feels like?
As to her last line, I suspect that what she meant was that some of those that use the services of Psychologists may be in immediate danger themselves. People might be shocked to find out that not all patients getting therapy are there for ADD.
blogmog
RV and CV—No, I didn’t actually hope that for you. That would be cruel. I hoped kindness for you if such awfulness ever happend. I think you misread.
But I want to ask you about your thoughts on much more going on that day…… I am guessing you are on County Road. Did you go to the crash site that day? Was that your sense of what you observed? Did anyone interview you about what you heard/ saw? I do wonder what kind of investigation took place afterward—or how thorough it was….
CVaut
Blogmog I dont know what questions you would like me to answer……but I will try. I did walk down when I heard the sirens and saw ambulance and police near my driveway. Most of the neighborhood was out there. I didnt get interviewed……who would interview me? These people were working the crash site and trying to help the people injured. I didnt hear or see the crash…..so I had nothing to give for information about the crash. If anyone were to ask what I witnessed, this is what I would have said…..I saw police and fire rescue personnel working extremely hard to get to the victims in the cars. They seemed to be very careful about moving them. I will say that it was a very fast paced environment with lots of movement from responders to both cars. I later learned that one of the girls had a broken back or neck (cant remember which) so I imagine it was critical that they moved her very carefully. I saw multiple ambulances waiting for these girls to be taken to the hospital. There was no time that they were waiting for transportation to the hospital. I saw the mom and her children that were in the minivan. They were off to the side and being treated by rescue people and then loaded into an ambulance and were taken away. I saw police, fire and investigators measuring and taking pictures, etc. I am sure there was a thorough investigation as far as that goes. I have no idea what paperwork was filed but it looked to me that the investigation was very thorough. I saw the police keeping people and media away. They made sure that they were not allowed in to take photos until everyone was treated and the scene was investigated.
I know that it was raining alot that time of year. I know that there was water on lots of roads in Massachusetts. I have personally hydroplaned and know that it is a scary feeling to lose control of your car. I was lucky when it happened to me that there was nobody coming the other way and that I didnt go off the road. These poor girls were not that lucky. It was an accident from what I can tell. My heart goes out to all of them. This will be something that has changed their lives forever. From what I saw….the rescue personnel responded in a professional manor and did the very best they could with the situation at hand. As far as where the ambulances came from or when called, etc…..I have no idea. All I know is they were there waiting to transport. As far as paperwork being filed and completely filled out…..I have no idea. I did see people treating victims, I saw people measuring and taking photographs…..I saw them not open the road back up until they felt that the information gathering was done.
I also got to see the town police and fire respond to two other crises in this area. One was a house fire……and the other was a propane tanker crash. I saw them work no less and no more at either of these two scenes than at this car accident. I witnessed these people work as hard as physically possible at all three. I saw these people risk their own lives at the fire and at the propane crash. I know that I can honestly say that I am proud of the men and women that Plympton has working these scenes. They do their best-I cant ask for any more than that. Now that is my observation…….I can only speak for myself. Hope that helped with some of your questions.
blogmog
Thanks. It does make sense the way you explain it that it really doesn’t matter if the ambulances got there 2 or 7 minutes apart…since it probably took much longer than that to remove the kids and dismantle the car so they could get at them. It just seems really odd that in almost 3 years since the accident noone noticed until the mother did, that the form about her daughter wasn’t completed. I just can’t imagine that in the days/ weeks after the accident the fire chief (or prosecutor or whoever) didn’t notice it wasn’t there. It makes me think it went missing.
Even now, submitting it after the fact would be important to do. It is very understandable and even forgiveable—given what you describe—that filling out a paper was overlooked. But it is horrible to think a kid could have been overlooked…especially since, unlike all the others, she wasn’t transported to a hospital that day.
I hope the images of that day are fading for you. It must have been awful to see. You might know this, but the girl who broke her back in the crash recovered with the help of rods/ braces /rehab and did not suffer any paralysis— a reflection of appropriate rescue efforts at the scene.
Lucy Wightman
It is up to me to grieve.
It is up to me to determine what that looks like.
It is up to me, and me only, to choose the data I need.
it is up to me to choose life.
Only I know my life.
I alone am keeper of my own facts.
Only I feel the heart inside of me.
I alone am responsible for what of that I show, tell or don’t.
Those of you who presume to know the life of me, and my daughter without knowing me I will forgive. Forgetting the hurt is more difficult. You would want understanding and openess to being known in truth.
Those of you who are self-righteously attached to your memories and weave them into full stories, I understand and I will work to forgive.
Those of you who are so black and white, grandiose, and pretend to be god, I pity.
Those of you who find it so easy to hide your cowardly faces behind fake names because you wish to lash out with no consideration for hearts and souls I seethe against and will wish to forgive.
Those of you who do not walk in my shoes should beg for forgiveness from whatever god you speak with.
For those who are too lazy to ask questions and remain curious I am sorry.
For those of you who love, who care, and who were there I am so crippled by your pain and I will continue to think of you each and every day I live on this hellish planet and wish for you to heal and move on as I know you can.
This was my baby girl who came from my body. There are so many others like me. I therefore reserve the right to stop now so that I may continue to aspire to their level of grace.
Lucy Wightman
And if I may say how honored I am to read the reasonable, kind words of love and care and consideration. It is because of this kind of stranger empathy that I know it is worth staying. I hope someday to become a positive contributor to life and then make your words worthwhile.
05.16.2009 
