To consider reporting this to the police...

[nomoredramarama]

Yesterday evening my parents who are in their 60s/70s were walking home together, after spending a few hours in a local pub. They were arm in arm and chatting. Someone had left the insides of a mattress on the pavement...so basically the box springs. It covered the width of the pavement. It was dark, raining and windy and they weren't looking down... so they didn't see it. So as my mum stepped forward, her foot landed on it and she immediately fell backwards and collided with the pavement . Because she was linked arms with my dad he fell too and landed first on top of her and then collided with the pavement aswell. Some passerby's carried them home. My parents refused an ambulance. They phoned me...I went over, checked there was no life threatening emergency....put my mums arms in slings and gave them painkillers. I went back over to see them today and took mum to A&E. An X-ray shows she has fractured both of her shoulders. She is now in slings and can hardly move her arms at all. We have to go back to hospital tomorrow to see a orthopaedic doctor and find out the next steps. Dad seems to have a rib injury but doesn't want to go to hospital which is fine...I know rib injuries can't be treated...just pain killers...and he's otherwise okay. Mum can hardly move.

I think this should be reported to the police? But I'm not sure. My parents think someone may have left the item on the pavement for a bit of a sick practical joke. Knowing someone would trip on it (but maybe not realising how severe the consequences would be). I think they might be right, or perhaps it was fly tipping? I haven't discussed reporting it to the police, with my parents yet, because we've just been dealing with the immediate problems....but I think they will disagree with me and won't want to involve the police.

It is very unlikely the police would ever find who left the item on the pavement....a stretch of pavement with no houses nearby/cctv etc.

So is there any point in reporting it? I'm thinking we should, just in case there's a pattern/ this has happened to others. A few months ago on the opposite side of my city, a motorcyclist died after colliding with an item in the road which had been left their for a 'practical joke'. I very much doubt my parents would even think of reporting what's happened to them.

I'm confused. Don't even know if this is a crime or not. Would I be unreasonable to report it to the police. Would the police be interested??

But it very probably wasn’t intentional, op.

It wasn't a whole mattress. The fabric had been removed. It was just the springs.

And?

nomoredramarama,
I’m sorry this happened to your mum and dad.
I’m in London and this happens all the time, people leaving beds, tables , bags of sand, wooden planks on the street it’s totally shocking to be honest .
We report it to the council and they have to have it removed within 24 hours as it’s causing a obstruction.
Did you take photographs of everything ?

Okay, I'm just upset and emotional, to see my parents, especially my mum in so much pain. And my mum, who's normally so strong and independent, to be so in need and incapable, it's just a shock. Maybe IABU. I will accept that. It's just sad. And I'm a bit angry aswell. But that's why I posted here in aibu....I suspected I was. I won't report it to the police now. But I might phone the council about fly tipping. I am actually thankful for everyone's opinions, because I wasn't sure what to do.

Firstly op, I am so sorry to hear this happened to your parents, and understandably it's a very upsetting and difficult time for everybody who loves and cares about them.

Please note that this is not a police matter, whilst 'fly tipping' is indeed a criminal matter, a mattress dumped on the pavement will not be deemed to be 'significant' enough to constitute further investigation.

Your local council however does have a duty of care, and should be informed of the incident and the injuries your parents have sustained. I will leave that there for you to think about and consider.

Wishing your dp a speedy recovery.

Thank you ice pink

I would certainly report to the Police and the local council. If your parents were injured by this it is reasonable to report. If they deem no further action there may be not much you can do, but I would still highlight the problem.

I personally would take legal action against your local council , that’s why I asked if you took photos of the road ?
Who knows how long the item could of been on the road and it could of already been reported to your local council .
You should contact a solicitor, there are many reputable ones who specialise in this.

It's not by any stretch of the imagination a Police matter. If a call like that came into our Control Room it wouldnt go any further. At the very most a call may get made to the council to check they were aware of it and going to uplift it but more likely it would be closed as not a police matter.

It sounds like an unfortunate accident but theres nothing to indicate any criminality.

Report it to the council.

I don’t understand why this is being dismissed as fly-tipping when only the springs were left. That sounds very odd and I would definitely report it to the police community team you have mentioned, especially given the motorcycling incident.

HeadinClouds...

This is the thing....

It wasn't an actual mattress. A mattress would be quite obvious even on a dark night. A mattress would be a very big light coloured object! And fly tipping a mattress is probably quite common. And standing on a mattress in the street is probably quite harmless.

But this wasn't a mattress!!! It was the spring set from inside a mattress (as far as they can work out). No fabric or materials. Just the springs....which were black/grey. Very unnoticeable when laid low on the pavement on a dark night. And a lot more springy /dangerous .

Bluestops....thanks. You understand. It wasn't an actual mattress!! Thought I was speaking pingo or something!!

Bluestoops,
I don’t know where this happened but unless there is CCTV in the area which I doubt there is as it wouldn’t of been left there or put there in the first place then what can the police do ??

Yes, report to both police and council. Council fly tipping teams should take this seriously and will look for identifying evidence tipped in the same load. This can be used as evidence if needed by police if appropriate (council have powers to fine I think). Broken shoulders are serious injuries and this should be looked at seriously too by both authorities.
I hope your parents feel better soon, how awful for them both. There are some selfish bustards around.

Thanks lightly. 2 broken shoulders is horrendous. I don't know how I would cope if it was me. From all the advice on here, I think it's best to contact the council and also the local neighbourhood police team. Not as an emergency! Not expecting results! But someone's been seriously injured. Thanks for taking me seriously. I won't call 101 or anything, but I will look into the contact details for our community police team....

Thanks Ava, I will maybe post on the local Facebook page and see if anyone else reported it before the accident.

I can't believe how many posters on here are so dismissive, of such serious injuries being sustained, in quite strange circumstances.... springs from a mattress left on a footpath in the dark (....not a actual mattress!)

I know it’s shocking but I would imagine that the springs could of been seen by many and they may have photos and that is what you need to take legal action .
I hope your mum and dad recover soon .
But you should definitely seek legal advice.
Good luck

Your poor mum!! for her.

I am 'older' and know just how much a fall hurts and what a shock it is to the system.

Please report to the council so it at least gets removed. And, you know, I would tend to report it to the Police as well. Not in any hope that they could find whoever put it there but so any passing patrols can keep a quiet watch for anything similar dumped on the paths.

I hope both your parents recover as fast as possible and that your Dad is really ok and only sore. He must be feeling terrible, poor man.

Not a police matter, but def the council. I'd be inclined to tell my local paper so if they run the story then the idiots who left the mattress might read it and realise what the outcome of their thoughtless actions have done.