Tragedy prompts change

PERRYBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio - Six days after performing CPR on a little girl hit by a car, Sandra Schroeder was trying to prevent such an accident from happening again.

Schroeder and Charles Busch, both residents of Village Green Mobile Home Park in Perrysburg Township, went before the township trustees Monday to ask that steps be taken to slow traffic and make drivers aware of children in the area.

Schroeder was in her home Thursday afternoon when she heard a neighbor calling for help after 8-year-old Rebecca Wells was hit by a vehicle on Reitz Road. Though Schroeder did not know Rebecca by name, she had often seen the little red-haired girl playing in the park.

"I jumped my fence and ran to the front," said Schroeder, who was joined by volunteer firefighter Kevin Kilgoar. "I helped resuscitate her. We did get a pulse and then EMS got there."

Rebecca, a second grader at Glenwood Elementary School, was taken by air ambulance to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo, where she died two days later.

Schroeder and Busch asked the township trustees to do what they can to help prevent similar accidents. Busch suggested that signs be posted along Reitz Road, where the speed limit is 55 mph, asking that traffic slow down for children playing in the area.

"I've been thinking this was going to happen," Busch said, stressing that something must be done, "so we can protect our community out there."

The accident reportedly happened when Rebecca was playing close to Reitz Road and ran out into the roadway in front of a vehicle driven by Douglas K. Rhodes, Carter Road, Bowling Green. Rhodes has not been charged in the accident.

Perrysburg Township Maintenance Supervisor Kraig Gottfried said the mobile home park has little green space for children to play in.

"There's nothing out back or nothing in the middle of the park," he said.

So some of the children can't resist climbing trees along the roadway, or playing in the ditch across the road, a couple residents of the park said.

Gottfried suggested that Village Green management may want to consider putting up a split rail fence as a boundary for the children.

Perrysburg Township Trustee Bob Mack said the township may be able to post signs on the road and possibly work with the park owner on changes. However, "we can't force them to put up a fence," he said this morning.

Schroeder said the mobile home park has a small playground, but "you have an abundance of children and a few things to do."

She had frequently seen Rebecca playing in the neighborhood.

"She always had a smile on her face," she recalled.

This was not the first time performing CPR for Schroeder, who used to work in a nursing home.

"I've had to do CPR before, but not on a child," she said. "We went to town trying to get her back."

Schroeder is hoping the Village Green community can grow from the tragedy.

"It's a time we all need to embrace each other and learn from it," she said.

The family reportedly donated Rebecca's organs to help other children in need.

A memorial fund to help her family with funeral expenses has been set up by neighbors in Rebecca's name at Charter One Bank.

Funeral visitation is Thursday from 2 to 8 p.m. at H&H Birkenkamp Funeral Home, 3219 Tremainsville Road, Toledo. The funeral will be Friday at 10 a.m. at Toledo Baptist Temple, 5732 Douglas Road, Toledo. Burial will be in Toledo Memorial Park Cemetery.

 

( The Sentinel-Tribune is a FOXToledo.com media partner)