Even the most careful parents can find themselves in some heart-stopping situations when it comes to their children's safety.
The day after Lindsey and Alan McIver's washing machine broke down, Alan went to Lowe's to buy a new front-load system. The Colorado couple spent the day installing their new washing machine and made sure their three young children knew not to touch it.
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Early the next morning, Lindsey and Alan were awoken by their 4-year-old son, who burst into their bedroom with tears in his eyes. He began sobbing so hard they couldn't understand what he was trying to tell them.
Alan jumped out of bed and ran downstairs. Within seconds, Lindsey heard him screaming from the laundry room in the basement. She realized the horrific problem at hand:
"Kloe. Inside. Washer."
Lindsey followed the frantic shrieks downstairs and found her 3-year-old daughter locked inside the airtight washing machine, which they hadn't even used yet. Kloe's screams were muffled as the machine tumbled in circles and filled with water.
Lindsey, who has admittedly been beating herself up over the horrifying experience, bravely shared her story on Facebook so other families won't have to go through this.
"After going through all the 'what if's' and 'could have's' we know we are very blessed and God had mercy on our sweet daughter," she wrote.
"I post this because I can honestly say we did not realize the danger of this machine. We are continually surprised at the new, inventive ways our kids come up with to try and die. And this was definitely a new one."