11-Year-Old Texas Boy Dies From Frigid Temperatures And No Electricity

[libertybele]

Such a tragedy!

11-Year-Old Texas Boy Dies From Frigid Temperatures And No Electricity

People have rallied to raise more than $35K for 11-year-old Cristian Pavon

A Texas boy was found dead on Tuesday after a winter storm left hundreds of thousands without power as temperatures dropped in the single digits. Cristian Pavon was 11 years old.

Cristian excitedly played in the snow the day before his death, his mother Maria Elisa Pineda told Univision. He came inside, ate dinner and went to bed under a pile of blankets with his 3-year-old stepbrother in their unheated mobile home in Conroe, about 40 miles from Houston.

“He was OK,” Pineda said. “He had dinner, he played and he went to bed.”

Julie Scagell
Thu, February 18, 2021, 10:49 PM
People have rallied to raise more than $35K for 11-year-old Cristian Pavon

A Texas boy was found dead on Tuesday after a winter storm left hundreds of thousands without power as temperatures dropped in the single digits. Cristian Pavon was 11 years old.

Cristian excitedly played in the snow the day before his death, his mother Maria Elisa Pineda told Univision. He came inside, ate dinner and went to bed under a pile of blankets with his 3-year-old stepbrother in their unheated mobile home in Conroe, about 40 miles from Houston.

“He was OK,” Pineda said. “He had dinner, he played and he went to bed.”

At some point during the night, Cristian’s stepfather checked on the kids. According to his aunt, Jaliza Yera, they were still responsive.

“He made sure they were OK,” Yera told KTRK. “They were still breathing. He covered them up, patted them and went back to sleep.” When they went to wake him the next day, he was dead.

According to the GoFundMe set up by Yera, “This family went without electricity for two days. The early morning of Feb. 16 dropped to 12 degrees. Cristian was found lifeless.”

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages most of the state power grid, said Thursday morning it had “made significant progress overnight restoring customer power, although some outages still remain throughout the state.” But that wasn’t enough to save at least 47 people, including Cristian, who’ve died since the storm began................

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/11-old-texas-boy-dies-034905558.html

[Wingnut]

Kids don't die like that.   Sorry, call me a heartless bastard but Something stinks in Conroe. 

[libertybele]

Kids don't die like that.   Sorry, call me a heartless bastard but Something stinks in Conroe.

....hmmm....I was thinking that everyone should have huddled together and body heat keeping each other warm?  No electricity  and no heat  there's really not much you can do otherwise.

People though knew this was coming, but perhaps didn't think they'd be out of electricity and water?? If you have no fireplace I think that the should have gone out and bought a small propane heater -- put it in one room and all stay in that room. 

There's no way that people could have prepared for pipes bursting, etc....
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

[roamer_1]

....hmmm....I was thinking that everyone should have huddled together and body heat keeping each other warm?  No electricity  and no heat  there's really not much you can do otherwise.

Yeah there is... Pack up and get out of town, out to the woods, throw a tarp and start a fire. Sure has heck more possibilities in that then stayin in a frozen tomb. I can't understand this. I really can't.

[Wingnut]

Yeah there is... Pack up and get out of town, out to the woods, throw a tarp and start a fire. Sure has heck more possibilities in that then stayin in a frozen tomb. I can't understand this. I really can't.

People are soft as fuk today.  I'm thinking they may not deserve to die but hey..can your I-phone keep you warm at night.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Who would keep their children in an unheated mobile home with the temperature in the single digits?

Why didn't dad spend the day looking for a heated shelter?

I'm just trying to understand the mindset.

[roamer_1]

People are soft as fuk today.  I'm thinking they may not deserve to die but hey..can your I-phone keep you warm at night.

I had mine on vibrate and kept it in my front pocket till I got the bill from calling myself... Does that count? 

[Wingnut]

I had mine on vibrate and kept it in my front pocket till I got the bill from calling myself... Does that count? 

I think that is covered on your unlimited calling plan with your carrier.

[libertybele]

Yeah there is... Pack up and get out of town, out to the woods, throw a tarp and start a fire. Sure has heck more possibilities in that then stayin in a frozen tomb. I can't understand this. I really can't.

The Buddy heaters that you were talking about would have worked, but no way to prep for bursting pipes.

I agree -- pack it up and get the heck out of town.  You thought of a tarp -- I was thinking of packing snow and making an igloo -- maybe the snow was too frozen or not enough snow?  Pack snow on top and around a small pup tent and build a fire just outside.                                                   You probably have parkas and warm sleeping bags -- in this case it would be very  helpful, but I don't think most in TX have those.

Then there's a matter of finding firewood in the city.  Living out in the country or the middle of nowhere is much easier in many ways to survive - you can use what's available; it's difficult in the city unless you prepare. 

I don't think most in TX realized how bad things were going to get and certainly didn't count on being without power.

It is a tragedy and from this tragedy hopefully they will learn so that this never happens again.

[thackney]

The Buddy heaters that you were talking about would have worked, but no way to prep for bursting pipes.

I agree -- pack it up and get the heck out of town.  You thought of a tarp -- I was thinking of packing snow and making an igloo -- maybe the snow was too frozen or not enough snow?  Pack snow on top and around a small pup tent and build a fire just outside.                                                   You probably have parkas and warm sleeping bags -- in this case it would be very  helpful, but I don't think most in TX have those.

Then there's a matter of finding firewood in the city.  Living out in the country or the middle of nowhere is much easier in many ways to survive - you can use what's available; it's difficult in the city unless you prepare. 

I don't think most in TX realized how bad things were going to get and certainly didn't count on being without power.

It is a tragedy and from this tragedy hopefully they will learn so that this never happens again.

With our last couple big hurricanes, my area has had a lot of home generators installed.  The big deal is to get it sized for the whole house, auto start with transfer switch, tied into the Natural Gas service.  No fuel to haul, easy as pie.

I know several that bought those in the last couple years and would not start because the gas pressure was too low.

[Elderberry]

I have backup propane for my nat gas generator.

[libertybele]

With our last couple big hurricanes, my area has had a lot of home generators installed.  The big deal is to get it sized for the whole house, auto start with transfer switch, tied into the Natural Gas service.  No fuel to haul, easy as pie.

I know several that bought those in the last couple years and would not start because the gas pressure was too low.

We have a generator that will pretty much run our entire house. Before a hurricane my husband goes out and loads up the gas caddies and runs the generator to ensure that it's working properly. 

[Elderberry]

We maintained for 2 weeks without power with only a 2.5kw generator. With it we powered most everything except central air, but I did power one window unit. I did cycle power usage. Washer then dryer. Fridge then freezer, etc. I even periodically took down the generator and powered a limited amount with a 500watt inverter. I now have double the power but my old gen was a extremely quiet 1800 rpm unit and my new gen is 3600rpm. I'm thinking of setting up an 1800 rpm alternator inverter generator. I don't see the need to go to a whole house generator.

[roamer_1]

I think that is covered on your unlimited calling plan with your carrier.

Yeah. NOW it is... Back when I was rockin a Nokia... 

[roamer_1]

The Buddy heaters that you were talking about would have worked, but no way to prep for bursting pipes.

In a house that heater would most certainly prevent the pipes bursting.

I agree -- pack it up and get the heck out of town.  You thought of a tarp -- I was thinking of packing snow and making an igloo -- maybe the snow was too frozen or not enough snow?  Pack snow on top and around a small pup tent and build a fire just outside.

No. Not enough snow. and the snow has to be fairly frozen for a igloo or quinzhee... A quinzhee would be a fairer bet... If you could find a plowed pile... A quinzhee is where you shovel snow into a monster pile, go away for a few hours to let it stiffen up, and then dig it out into something resembling an igloo.

But with less than 6" on the ground you would have to go far afield to gather enough. That kind of stuff, an igloo, a quinzhee, or a dead man's grave, all of them take feet of snow.

More apropos would be a Colorado mountain shelter, where you take two tarps, two ridge lines, one over the other, and build two leantos facing each other, butted together. Then fill in the gable ends as you can. The slot at the top allows for smoke to escape so you clear out the shelter and build a small fire near the center. I have been quite comfortable in a Colorado shelter in 15 below weather. for a week or better.  And if it ain't frozen to bad, you can dig a Dakota fire hole lined with rocks which will make it even better...

But heck, if you got the wood a simple leanto configuration with plastic covering the open front with a long fire three steps away from that... it will be 80 degrees inside there in any weather...

You probably have parkas and warm sleeping bags -- in this case it would be very  helpful, but I don't think most in TX have those.

Oh heck yeah. I have all the sh*t. Even 4 season tents and sleep systems good to 40 below. But that don't matter. I have also built grass beds where you basically build a haystack and wiggle inside. no fire, and you will be comfortable with no bag in sub zero. Also debris shelters or wigwams. SERIOUSLY warm with a Dakota hole and an hatfull of fire.

Then there's a matter of finding firewood in the city.  Living out in the country or the middle of nowhere is much easier in many ways to survive - you can use what's available; it's difficult in the city unless you prepare. 

I said get out of the city. Get in the woods. But even IN a city... pallets, old sheds, anything. Heck start tearing down your house and burn that if the kid is dying.

I don't think most in TX realized how bad things were going to get and certainly didn't count on being without power.

Sure, but then you never do. 

It is a tragedy and from this tragedy hopefully they will learn so that this never happens again.

That's right.

[catfish1957]

Kids don't die like that.   Sorry, call me a heartless bastard but Something stinks in Conroe.

For a people who lived without electricity a 100 years ago, we sure have lost some common sense survival skills.

[libertybele]

For a people who lived without electricity a 100 years ago, we sure have lost some common sense survival skills.

People have become dependent on others doing for them instead of being reliant on themselves.

[mountaineer]

For a people who lived without electricity a 100 years ago, we sure have lost some common sense survival skills.

Indeed. So helpless.

[Hoodat]

People are soft as fuk today.  I'm thinking they may not deserve to die but hey..can your I-phone keep you warm at night.

[Hoodat]

People have become dependent on others doing for them instead of being reliant on themselves.

This has been the goal of government starting with FDR.

[mountaineer]

This has been the goal of government starting with FDR.

His boy Robert C. Byrd managed to turn West Virginians into dependent children.

[thackney]

I have backup propane for my nat gas generator.

Very wise decision.  I suspect that will be a popular add this year in Texas.

[thackney]

In a house that heater would most certainly prevent the pipes bursting.

It is very common down here to have water pipes run above the insulation in the attic.  My house is that way.  You would not get enough heat.

Some of the better homes or smarter homeowners have foam insulation added around the pipes.  But R3 with temps in the teens is not going to keep it from freezing unless you keep if flowing.

[roamer_1]

His boy Robert C. Byrd managed to turn West Virginians into dependent children.

No ma'am... Pardon the offense, but no. It's the West Virginians that let em. Redneck 101: You make do for yourself. If hillfolk (more than others) can't make do, that's on them.

[roamer_1]

It is very common down here to have water pipes run above the insulation in the attic.  My house is that way.  You would not get enough heat.

Some of the better homes or smarter homeowners have foam insulation added around the pipes.  But R3 with temps in the teens is not going to keep it from freezing unless you keep if flowing.

Alright... but then I am sure you would know to drain em. And hopefully not have to blow them out. Mine are all in the crawl, outside of the insulation too but they don't freeze. and if needful, turn two ballcocks and the system drains all the way out (except the water heater, toilet, and pea traps, of course)

And I wouldn't say they'd necessarily freeze anyhow. I reckon y'all don't have operable roof vents, but it still ain't much to plug em - or even tape em up if you have continuous soffit and ridge vents.. Then she'll hold what heat does pass the insulation, which you will know is not inconsiderable... but rather, to have predicted that and put em under the insulation like you ought, no doubt to that.

I mean to say it ain't hopeless or hapless. A stitch in time saves nine. Even if that stitch means bustin out a wall and capping them pipes. If you don't the damage will be far worse. There ain't no bet in that.