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Unanchored Swing That Hurt Tot Had Bolts Missing

Katy Hennig / News Channel 8

This swing set at the Palmetto Point Civic Association Park collapsed on Sunday, Dec. 9 while 3 children were swinging on it.

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By CHRISTINA E. SANCHEZ of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Published: January 23, 2008

MANATEE COUNTY - A sheriff's office investigation into the swing set accident Dec. 9 that put a 2-year-old Palmetto girl in a coma revealed that the equipment was not anchored and bolts were missing.

The sheriff's office released reports Tuesday showing that detectives have concluded that despite problems with the swing set, there was no criminal negligence.

Lexi Antorino, 2, remained in a coma and on a ventilator Tuesday at All Children's Hospital, where she has been since the accident.

Lexi was playing on a swing set at the Palmetto Point Civic Association park when the structure collapsed and a support beam fell on her, pinning her to the ground. She suffered head and neck injuries and lost a lot of blood.

A babysitter was watching Lexi and two other children when the swing set collapsed.

In the reports, detectives note that an inspection of the swing set revealed "that bolts holding the swing set were missing. In addition, the swing set was not anchored by any type of cement anchoring system."

A detective wrote that parts of the swing set were "a little rusty." Also missing was an end cap on one side that would hold a support pole in place.

"I did not see the bolts or endcap piece on the ground," one detective wrote.

A surveillance camera taped the accident. The tape shows the children swinging and being pushed one at a time by the babysitter, Joanna Janney, 14.

As Lexi swings forward and the other two girls seem to be going backwards, the right side of the set begins to give way. The set collapses, and the top bar juts forward slightly as it comes down, striking Lexi.

Janney runs to the front of the set, lifts the bar off Lexi and carries her to a nearby pavilion for help.

A neighborhood resident, Richard Fowler, performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

"She's showing a lot of movement, but she is still in a coma," said her mother, Sarah Antorino, who is 8 months' pregnant. "We are seeing a lot of little miracles."

Antorino said that when she speaks to Lexi, the child shrugs her shoulders and stretches.

"I swear she smiled one day," she said.

Antorino and her husband, Nicholas, are learning to care for her. They will be taking her home soon.

Doctors have not said anything new about Lexi's condition, Sarah Antorino said.

"I know what the future holds, in my mind and my heart," she said.

Reporter Bart Pfankuch contributed to this report.

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