Boy, 5, Riding With Family on I-95 Is Critically Injured by Seat Belt

A 5-year-old boy was in critical condition yesterday after a seat belt became wrapped around his neck Monday on Interstate 95 in Prince George's County.

The child's mother, Yuko Harris, pulled onto the shoulder and called 911 after noticing that something was wrong in the back seat, where her son, DeAndre Harris, was sitting next to his 2-year-old brother.

DeAndre had no pulse when a Maryland State Police trooper arrived. The trooper had to use a knife to cut away the seat belt.

The trooper started CPR, and firefighters and paramedics continued the effort until DeAndre's heart resumed beating in the ambulance taking him to Laurel Hospital.

DeAndre then was flown to Children's National Medical Center in the District, where he was in "extremely critical" condition, said Lt. Carl Miller, commander of the state police College Park barracks.

Troopers impounded Harris's Honda CRV, Milller said, but they have not determined how the seat belt ended up around the boy's neck.

The belt encircled DeAndre's neck and had tightened enough to cut off circulation, Miller said.

DeAndre was not in a booster seat -- safety seats are required for children younger than 8 -- but Miller said he did not know if that was a factor in what happened.

He said detectives and county prosecutors have not decided whether charges will be filed.

Efforts to reach Harris, 38, of Baltimore were unsuccessful. DeAndre's father is deployed to Afghanistan.

Mark Brady, spokesman for Prince George's Fire and Emergency Services Department, said several firefighters and paramedics underwent a "stress debriefing" after treating the child.

"It certainly highlights the need to have children in the appropriate safety seat," Brady said. "It was just horrific."

At least three children from Florida, Texas and Illinois have died and another was critically injured during the last decade in similar incidents.

Staff researcher Meg Smith contributed to this report.