Hello!

Join Login
Learn More

Article Mum’s Heartbreak: ‘We Want Parents With Two-Storey Homes To Hear Our Story’

By

21 Comments

A devastated mum says she wants to spare other families from the ‘horrific grief’ she endures each day, by sharing the story of her toddler’s tragic death.

It was a normal night in February 2016. Keri Volmert changed her 18-month-old daughter, Sammie, into a nightgown, wiped her snotty nose and took her to say goodnight to her dad and big brother before putting the toddler to bed.

“I carried her up the stairs and placed her down in her beautiful crib that was made for a princess,” explained in a Facebook post.

“She cried a little bit, and I walked out of the room knowing she would be asleep within two minutes as she always was. I never would have imagined that would be the last time I would see her alive.”

Sammie Joyce Volmert

The next morning, Keri’s husband went to wake Sammie, but instead started screaming for his wife.

“I was in the kitchen making coffee and as soon as he screamed ‘Keri’ I knew something was terribly wrong. I froze and he yelled my name again as he ran down the upstairs hallway. ‘I think Sammie is dead’.

“I met him as he rushed down the stairs carrying our precious angel who just hours before had been so feisty and full of life. Attempts to resuscitate her did not work and she was pronounced dead fifty minutes later at the emergency room.”

The family discovered that although their upstairs thermostat was set to around 22°C, the heater was blasting on the second storey of their home and it ‘felt like a sauna’.

Sammie Joyce Volmert

In fact, the temperature on the thermostat was almost 40°C, which was as high as it could go.

“Sammie died of hyperthermia. Doctors believe she never woke up or made a sound since children (until age 3 to 5) cannot regulate their own body temperature as older children and adults are able to do.

“Throughout our shock and disbelief, we have researched and found cases similar to ours. Upon preparing to become a mother, I read multiple books and stories on possible dangers that could harm babies and toddlers. I knew blankets, stuffed animals, pillows, etc. could be dangerous to babies before they were a year old.

“Both of mine slept in sleep sacks with an angel care breathing monitor until they were one. I was such a worrier and they both stayed in bassinets in our room until they were six months old. I wish I had once read about this.

“There is a cheap temperature monitor I could have had-would have had If I had heard of even one instance where a child could die by a heater not turning off like it is supposed to.”

Sammie Joyce Volmert

Keri’s son Jackson, who was three at the time, had been sleeping in his parent’s bedroom downstairs for the past year, because he was frightened of monsters.

“Doctors said he would have likely died if he had been in his room.”

Keri wants the family’s tragic story to serve as a warning to parents.

“We want others (especially those with two-storey homes) to hear Sammie’s story so that children can be protected and other families spared from the horrific grief we are forced to endure each day.”

Share this

Comments

  • What a dreadful thing to happen. We live in a cold area and have never heated our bedrooms of a night. This makes me glad of it.

    Reply

  • That poor little love. I hope she felt no pain, no worry, no fear… that she simply slept through it. I just can’t fathom how terrible this whole situation would be to endure.
    Rest sweetly, little Sammie <3 .

    Reply

  • What a terrible thing to happen. I can’t imagine the grief. We do our best for our children, making sure they are comfortable while they are sleeping. We run the air conditioner during the night when it’s hot but have never had to run the heater during the night but the parents were still awake when the heater was running and this is something we sometimes do, but only for short bursts, to warm the rooms up. I have always loved the idea of a two story house but i have never liked the idea of having my children on a different floor to me, at least not until they are much older. How can I know they need me if I can’t hear them? We are now living in a slightly bigger one story house and no longer in the bedroom next door, I sometimes worry that I can’t hear my youngest, being an older house with thicker walls but he shares a bedroom with his older brother so I know that he’ll call me if I’m needed.

    Reply

  • Such a sad thing to have happened and I do hope you have now had that thermostat fixed. I always knew that hot air rises and often the upstairs part of a house will be much warmer than the downstairs part, as friends of mine were always complaining about the heat upstairs compared to the downstairs section of their house but I am sure no one would have expected the outcome you had. I do hope you will be able to continue on with your lives as happily as possible.

    Reply

  • This is so sad and devastating. Thoughts go out to your family

    Reply

  • So heartbreaking ! It’s so important to be aware of this indeed. With less skin space to sweat and underdeveloped temperature regulation capacity, younger kids tend to get heat exhaustion quickly. Toddlers and babies are also unable to correct their body temperature independently. Humidity and dehydration play roles in heat-related illnesses, too.

    • My nearly 11 year old is still quickly overheated.
      It’s normal for humans to feel hot some of the time, but if you’re always hot, there could be an underlying condition at play that prevents your body from properly cooling itself. Some reasons for feeling hot all the time include diabetes, hyperthyroidism, menopause, pregnancy, fever, and anhidrosis.

    Reply

  • This is absolutely horrible! I wouldn’t have even thought this could happen! It’s surprising their thermostat could get up to that high a temperature and surprising that that would kill as when I lived in Queensland you could get some days that would get to be that hot. I guess maybe the extended time at that temperature? What a horrible thing to happen!

    Reply

  • I’m sorry for their pain, but it is very worthwhile their attempts to draw attention to this. I was not even aware this was a possible risk – I mean I knew overheating was, but I’ve never heard of it happening in this way. Hopefully their campaign can save other kids.

    Reply

  • Oh my I am so sorry for your loss, I can only image what you are family have endured.
    I also want aware of this and being a nana I have sent a link to your story to them so they are aware.
    Sending love and hugs to your family.

    Reply

  • Aw bless, what a heart breaking story !
    How could it be that the heater did not turn off like it is supposed to do ?? when their upstairs thermostat was set to around 22°C, the heater was blasting on the second storey of their home sitting on a temperature of almost 40°C ?

    Reply

  • This is so terribly sad, it broke my heart reading this. What a horrible thing to have happened. I don’t own a two story house but would never have thought about this. What an important message this article is sharing with those who do. I feel for this family and the sadness they have been through.

    Reply

  • A horrendous loss and unspeakable heartbreak for this poor family to endure; every possible sympathy for the family. We never ever leave any heating or cooling on overnight due to the possible risk. We layer beds with doonas and blankets during the cooler months and of course less layers during the warmer months.

    • Yes, we never use heater during the night either. I struggle to keep my youngest warm in the winter as she doesn’t tolerate blankets. I always hunt for the warmest Pj’s and sleep socks and this winter I sewed her a sleep sack so she can’t throw this off (sh’e nearly 11 years old).

      • We also buy and wear very warm sleepwear and bed socks are an absolute must for every member of the family to keep feet and bodies warm overnight. We also like to use warm flannelette sheets and doona covers on beds; they are also so very good for keeping bodies warm overnight.

      • Yes absolutely, flanette sheets are the best and give warmth indeed. I also like the woolen under blankets (the furry ones), they make a massive difference. And not to forget a micra wafe heat packs / warmies are great for cold days too and relatively safe for kids. Personally I like a warm water bottle, but never woud use it with my children

    Reply

  • I’m so Sorry for the loss of your gorgeous treasured little girl. Thank you for bravely sharing so that others may know of this risk. I would never have considered this before.

    Reply

  • Absolutely tragic for the whole family. Just so sad!

    Reply

  • How incredibly sad. I expected a tale of disaster involving stairs. This is so much worse. Although there are worse ways to die (it seems the little one wouldn’t have known), it is a dreadful way to lose a child. You’d think it was a freak accident but she says it’s happened more than once.

    Reply

  • What a tragic thing to have happened. I must admit when I heard 2 story I thought of her somehow falling out of a window. I never would have thought that it was caused by the thermostat not cutting out once it reached it’s set temperature. I’m so sorry for their loss. Sleep now little angel

    Reply

  • Oh my goodness, this is such a sad story to read. What an absolute tragedy. She looks like she was such a loved little girl, such a glamorous first birthday outfit. I was worried about temperature too, so bought a Tommee Tippee egg. I read a review of a parent who swears by them, as there was a fire behind the wall the cot was against and she only realised because the egg was reading a temperature off the charts.

    Reply
Post a comment

To post a review/comment please join us or login so we can allocate your points.

Join Login

↥ Back to top

Thanks For Your Star Rating!

Would you like to add a written rating or just a star rating?

Write A Rating Just A Star Rating
Join