Police: Mother accidentally runs over, kills son

updated 5:52 p.m. ET Aug. 6, 2007

LINDENHURST, N.Y. - A mother accidentally ran over her 5-year-old son as she moved her minivan to a different location outside her home, killing the boy, police said Monday.

Christine Schilling told police that after moving the vehicle at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, she discovered her 5-year-old son Jacob lying beneath its tire. The exact circumstances of the accident were not known.

The 1995 Chrysler minivan was impounded for a safety check, but no charges were filed, Suffolk County police said Monday.

Earlier this year, the Suffolk County Legislature voted to require auto dealers to distribute safety tips to buyers, warning them about the hazards of “backovers.”

The parents of several Long Island children killed in backover accidents are also lobbying for legislation in Congress that would set minivan visibility standards, said Janette Fennell, founder of the Kansas-based Kids And Cars.org safety advocacy group.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration estimates there are at least 183 backover fatalities annually; children 15 and younger accounted for 145 of those fatalities. The second-largest group were people older than 70.

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