None of the answers, however they are formulated or enacted, will diminish the loss of Molly Steinsapir. The parents of a girl who died after an e-bike accident filed a wrongful-death lawsuit on Monday against the Seattle e-bike company Rad Power Bikes. Imagine you have a car, and the brakes arent working well, and someone tells you to watch a video to do it yourself. My neighbor, Ezra Holland, related a story from a recent drive near home. Or a lot of deaths to move the CPSC., Hon feels that more needs to be doneby either the government or the brands themselves. Just in the year 2021, the company raised more than $300 million in funding from large institutional investors to help fuel its explosive growth trajectory. The next day, she announced the death of her beloved daughter, which is the worst nightmare for every parent. In two years I have purchased more than 10 sets of brake pads. Brody Darlington was only 11 when he crashed. If a 12-year-old gets into my car and rolls it down the hill and gets into an accident, well, thats a user error. Kaye and Jonathan Steinsapir at their home in Pacific Palisades, California, on October 9, 2022. Twelve-year-old Molly Steinsapir died following a critical injury sustained on Jan. 31, 2021. Governor Rick Scoot appointed her on December 2012, replacing retired judge David. Of course, with a devastating crash like this, in which a beloved child dies, the aftershocks of the loss never stop. When they got to the hospital, Kaye watched as a huge team descended on Molly30 people in white coats with masks and shields. Molly Steinsapir, the 12-year-old girl whose battle to recover following a traumatic bike accident captured the hearts of hundreds of thousands of Twitter users, has died, her mom Kaye announced.Molly had been undergoing treatment at UCLA since she was critically injured on Jan. 31, and Kaye had been sharing regular updates on her condition to Twitter, where the story went viral. ", "Rad Power Bikes had been made aware of this issue and they never redesigned their bike," Jonathan said in an interview with GMA. But if they knew something specific, it would be in the complaint. Wilborn adds that he still thinks everyone, parents included, should be concerned about the impact of children riding throttle-powered e-bikes. Molly was a teenage girl who died in a horrible bike accident. Photo by SCREENGRAB / Twitter. It was the final day of January 2021, on yet another balmy morning in Los Angeles. The complaint that the Steinsapirs filed against Rad Power is a remarkably cinematic legal document, vividly recounting Mollys life and death and itemizing a long list of allegationsabout the defects of the e-bike Molly had been riding and about Rad Powers culpability for the way it designed, manufactured, and marketed that bike. But a couple of weeks later, I saw my son dragging his sneakers on the ground to help stop the bike and found that the brakes were once again useless. One of the paramedics rode in the back with Molly, so Kaye had to sit up front. Currently, Molly is receiving excellent Enchanted Way lies in Pacific Palisades, an affluent neighborhood on L.A.s Westside that borders Malibu, Santa Monica, Brentwood, and the Pacific Ocean. Parents project all sorts of superlatives onto their offspring, of course, but Mollys credentials are strong. The parents shouldnt have allowed it to happen. On February 16, 2021, Kaye pinned, 'Molly has been called home to God. In the ensuing crash, the handlebar hit him in the groin area. I went out to the garage and discovered that I could easily squeeze both brake levers all the way to the handlebar gripsmeaning the brakes werent working at all. She liked to watch Shark Tank. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. First, the complaint alleges, the bike had an unusually low trail that would make it unstable at high speed. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. The holidays were looming when I spoke with Kaye and Jon Steinsapir one last time this past December. Its a race to the bottom. And in the absence of such regulation, do the companies that make and market e-bikesparticularly the companies that sell relatively inexpensive e-bikes directly to the customerhave an ethical or legal obligation to do more? The case is scheduled for late 2023. A friend she'd been riding with was able to flag down a car and ask the driver to call for help.The tweets chronicled the ups and downs of Molly's care, including MRIs, blood transfusions and multiple surgeries to relieve pressure in her brain.One tweet, in which Kaye said she was "living every parent's worst nightmare," had more than 200,000 likes, and at one point, Star Wars star Mark Hamill even tweeted well wishes. Emes mom was calling; she said they needed to come over right away, that the girls had crashed on the bike, that they should bring the car. We have set your language to Molly vividly described how Sampson dressed as a man, fought bravely in the American Revolution until shot and injured, and how she was initially denied a pension because she was a woman. Molly's parents are concerned about other children like her daughter and filed laws after the death of their 12-year daughter. The gorgeous and delicate Soledad O'Brien working as a correspondent for CNN morning show Starting Point with Soledad OBrien was born in 19 September 1966 at Saint James, New York; USA. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. "Thank you, @GMA. In a letter to customers on January 24, 2023, the new CEO, Phil Molyneux, said: As a young company, we recognize that we have made mistakes. In third grade, Molly and her classmates were told to prepare a report on a great American. No one has thought through the consequences of young kids essentially driving heavy, difficult-to-control, throttle-powered e-bikes. The cheapest bikes arent always the cheapest in the long run., But to be clear, Rad Power and other reputable DTC brands have broken zero rules specing bikes with inexpensive components. Twelve-year-old Molly Steinsapir died following a critical injury sustained on Jan. 31, 2021. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). According to the workout app .css-qlm9kn{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#067EA7;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;background-image:linear-gradient( to bottom, #7fdbfa, #7fdbfa);-webkit-background-position:0 100%;background-position:0 100%;background-repeat:repeat-x;-webkit-background-size:0 0;background-size:0 0;padding-bottom:0.05rem;padding-top:0.05rem;}.css-qlm9kn:hover{color:#045976;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-size:.625rem 3.125rem;background-size:.625rem 3.125rem;}Strava, the final 0.3 mile of Enchanted Way rises 150 feet, with a sustained pitch topping 14 percent. She was so cautious in everything, Kaye says, her voice trailing off before she can finish the sentence. However, Molly had so much life ahead of her. I found that hilarious.. So I tell people outside the bike industry that basically when youre choosing bike parts, its a factor of 10. Rad Power Bikes' RadRunner model is capable of reaching And so, when Molly was allowed to have her best friend, Eme, over for the night, it was a very big deal. The Steinsapirs are suing Rad Power Bikes, and their legal complaint alleges that the Seattle-based company should be liable for Mollys death. ", In a statement, Rad Power Bikes responded to the lawsuit to The New York Times. The entire Rad Power Bikes team extends its deepest condolences to the Steinsapir family on the tragic loss of Molly Steinsapir. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. But surely company officials now know that young riders have fueled a big chunk of the brands growth, and in the absence of new laws or regulations about who can use Rads products, several industry and legal experts I talked to questioned whether Rad has a duty of carea legal term denoting a partys obligation to use reasonable care to avoid injuring peopleto either make its bikes safer for young riders or to discourage them from riding e-bikes. Kaye and Jon Steinsapir understandably bristle at the suggestion that they should be held responsible for what happened to Molly. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Burial Details Unknown. Molly Olivia Steinsapir (2008-2021) - Find a Grave Memorial Advertisement Photo added by Maura Anne Molly Olivia Steinsapir Birth 21 Oct 2008 Death 15 Feb Molly Steinsapir died Monday from injuries sustained in the January 31 accident when she was riding her bike downhill while wearing a helmet. Roughly a month after my younger son got his RadRunner, he mentioned that the brakes werent working so well. Kaye initially shared Molly's story the day of the accident, which occurred while her daughter was riding downhill while wearing a helmet, she said. So I pulled over and stopped them and said, Do you realize how dangerous what youre doing is? And their answer to me was, We dont know what to doour brakes dont work.. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Jon gets up and paces around the room for a minute, then sits back down. Then they wheeled her away and left Kaye standing alone in the hallway. The hills cradling Los Angeles are woven with roads like thisdead-end residential streets that corkscrew toward the sky, the views and the homes expanding as you ascend. Is Bryce Young Related To Vince Young? Molly and Eme crashed at high speed near the bottom of the steepest stretch. Kaye says her head was spinning, so she climbed onto an empty gurney in the hallway, and just cried. Sadixya Bista From the limited information available, it does not seem like the front wheel separated from the fork., But then he addresses the other side. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. In fact, Molly loved to act and sing; it was one of her biggest passions. Molly had been extremely excited about entering sixth grade in a new schoolthe Geffen Academy, an academics-intensive private school associated with UCLAbut she never got to attend a day of class in person. Verify and try again. I had both hands on the brakes and they went from working to not working, says Redford, who often rides hilly terrain near her home in Laguna Niguel and says her husband checked the brakes frequently. Video Parents file lawsuit against e-bike manufacturer following I bought and installed Kevlar pads, which are more durable, and I also brought the bikes into a few shops to see if their mechanics could address the issue better than I could. A mural dedicated to Molly Steinsapir on the exterior of the Pierson Playhouse in Pacific Palisades, California. Kaye added that if Molly is non-responsive, they will say she is no longer with us. In a separate but related legal matter, the Steinsapirs entered into a settlement agreement in March 2022 with Emes family, the Greens, for $1.5 million. Which I think is not fair, because I think its not true., Holland says that in his most recent exchange with Rad customer service, the rep emailed him that it is not uncommon for owners to adjust their brakes every couple of hundred miles or so. Which in his case would be every few weeks. GREAT NEWS! Molly looked so small on that hospital bed. Kaye and Jonathan Steinsapir E-bikes have a motor and often have more power than a normal bike. I just took out my phone and tried to call my mom. Then I started talking to my neighbors. In addition to updates on Molly's condition, Kaye also helped her followers get to know the tween better, sharing facts like how she was an animal-loving vegetarian with a keen interest in government and politics who hoped to one day be an actress or politician. After they got dressed and headed out, Kaye remembers drinking coffee and feeling good that the kids were getting outside on such a beautiful day. In short, I think e-bikes can help change the world for the better. Bicycling has reviewed a copy of that complaint, and Rad has filed an answer denying any responsibility or wrongdoing. TBI One Love We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Despite a series of increasingly desperate surgeries to address her head injuries, Molly would be pronounced dead a little more than two weeks later. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. She thought about whipping out her phone to record the joyful bantera long-awaited sign of something like normalcybut didnt. It was like a job for her, Kaye says, as if she was ready to step in as the understudy for any role in the production. I just got to a point where I started questioning my own thinking, because they keep saying Im wrong, he says. Parents file lawsuit against e-bike company after daughter's But while countries in the European market have more robust standard requirements for e-bikes (and some countries, such as Germany, are pursuing even stricter regulations on certain types of e-bikes), the U.S. market is virtually without differentiated standards for e-bikes versus nonelectric bikes. The lawsuit alleges that their daughter Molly Steinsapirs death was caused by the Rad Power bike she was riding with a friend and the Giro helmet she was wearing on January 21 of 2021 on a large hill on the street Enchanted Way in the Pacific Palisades. Hes experienced the rear brake fail going downhill and is especially concerned about that happening while his 17-year-old is using the bike. There was a time the Steinsapirs say that UCLA lost track of their daughters body; Jon says it was like a macabre version of searching for an Amazon package that had been misdelivered. In 2021, the incident occurred when she underwent treatment at the hospital on January 31, 2021. Molly had been hurt while riding downhill, even though she was wearing a helmet, according to PEOPLE. Theyre like cars or motorcycles or scooters. You can go to a trade show in China. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. It was a place where she was very free and not scared. The room is quiet for a moment after that. ", Jonathan stated in the interview with GMA, "The first step Rad should have is something on the bike itself warning age appropriateness. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Outlets like the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and People magazine have amplified the Steinsapirs contention that the e-bike manufacturer is to blame. Partial settlement in Rad Power fatal e-bike crash case On January 31, 2021, 12-year-old Molly Steinsapir climbed aboard a Rad Power RadRunner e-bike behind an 11-year-old friend, and together they rode up a hill in Rad Power Bikes faces wrongful-death suit | Bicycle Retailer and To use this feature, use a newer browser. One tweet, in which Kaye said she was "living every parent's worst nightmare," had more than 200,000 likes, and at one point, Star Wars star Mark Hamill even tweeted well wishes. He was thinking maybe she had a broken leg or something. ", The suit also alleges that the company engaged in "inappropriate marketing of e-bikes to children," claiming that the company failed to "adequately warn about the dangers of children operating e-bikes. Who the Hell Even Are You, Tadej Pogaar? Additionally, Jonathan included the cooperation that shared inappropriate marketing for their e-bike business and proclaimed the company failed to provide the danger of using e-bikes. Molly, who was wearing a helmet, sustained severe head injuries. Team Molly mom uses childs death to help others handle death I watched two girls on a Rad e-bike ride downhill through a stop sign at an intersection and almost get run over, and then repeat the same thing at the next intersection, he recalls. While our hearts are broken in a way that feels like they can never be mended, we take comfort The complaint alleges that Rad Power Bikes has been negligent in failing to do more to discourage children from using its productsasserting, in fact, that the company has tacitly marketed to young people and their parents. Molly used to love camp, and how sad it makes her parents not to be sending both of them. Two and half hours later they came back and said Molly needed immediate surgery, and in the middle of that procedure, the surgeon called Jon and Kayeshe says the doctor seemed rattledto get permission to do a more aggressive procedure. Rad Power Bikes does not comment on pending litigation.". Now they know it was preventable. You can buy a quick release for 50 cents or spend $50 on thru axles. She says they rode all the way to the top of Bel Air Road and soaked in the sweeping canyon views. Tim Van Patten is an American director, actor, screenwriter, and producer. Then I made a few adjustments to get the disc brakes back in seemingly perfect working order. She thought it was very cruel to eat animals. Molly tried to proselytize for the cause with her good friends and refused to participate in fishing at summer camp because she believed hooks were barbaric, and from that point on she remained a vegetarian. As I dug a little deeper, I talked to some Rad Power owners whod had bad crashes and felt that issues with their e-bike were to blame. Molly Steinsapir This browser does not support getting your location. WebThe parents of Molly Steinsapir, a 12-year-old girl who died from injuries suffered in an e-bike accident, are suing Rad Power Bikes for design defects that make these bikes dangerous. Kaye looks through Mollys baby pictures and some of her artwork. They didnt purchase an e-bike for their daughter and were not aware of any specific or general reasons why Molly should have refused an invitation to ride on her friends sisters bike. They said to keep driving uphill. Tawny Redford and her daughter were riding Rad Power e-bikes in the posh L.A. neighborhood of Bel Air this past July. She had to undergo blood transfusions and surgeries to In the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Monday, Kaye and Jonathan Steinsapir claim that design defects in the bikes make it difficult for riders to slow down and stop as the bike gains speed while going downhill, the outlet reported. On Feb. 15, Ms. Steinsapir announced that Molly had died. Because the consumer, especially with a new product, doesnt understand the potential risks., At Tern, all e-bikes under development are tested rigorously by a third-party laboratory to meet or exceed stricter European Union standards for the bikes battery system and carrying capacityeven if the bike is destined for U.S. consumers. Kaye also says that when Molly was in a play, she would memorize every characters lines. In the absence of government standards, its up to the brands who are building these bikes to make them safe, he says. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. The doctors were scrambling to save their daughter. RELATED VIDEO: 12-Year-Old Molly Steinsapir, Whose Mom Chronicled Her Bike Injury, Dies: 'Worst Nightmare'. The 34-page document is a bit circumspect about specific flaws or product failures that caused the crash that killed Molly, but it does allege major design problems with the RadRunner. By The little girl's Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. I am sitting with Kaye and Jon in the living room of their home in Pacific Palisades in August of 2022, and I can hear the bemused and reverential love in their voices as they tell stories of their daughter. Giro is named in the suit because the Steinsapirs say the helmet Molly was wearing was defective. Its not someplace youd want to be on a bike with braking issues. Second, the complaint asserts that Rads decision to outfit (or spec, in industry parlance) the RadRunner with a combination of disc brakes and quick-release axles is a known safety hazard that can cause wheels to wobble or even fall off during hard braking. Still, Ive learned the hard way that not all e-bikes are created equal. But it seems clear that not answering those questions has consequences. Nonetheless, she endured the mishap but had several injuries. Rad Power Bikes did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Please implore with everything in your soul for a miracle. (Neither effort fixed the problem.) But it could force the industry and regulatory bodies to do more so that more kids dont get hurt or die. Molly had been admitted to UCLA, and her mother, Kaye, updated her about her situation on Twitter. He was staying with his grandparents near Coos Bay, Oregon, and hit the ground when the front wheel of one of their RadRunners came off on a quiet paved road. But then again, many of these crashes could have been caused by the failure or inadequacy of inexpensive componentsa flimsy bushing in the quick release, for instance, or cheap pads that wont last long when stopping a 65-pound bike that often goes 20 miles an hour. (At Mollys memorial service, Jon admitted that in the weeks of intense prayer that preceded his daughters death, he finally altered this practice, citing former Supreme Court Justice Felix FrankfurterWisdom too often never comes, and so one ought not to reject it merely because it comes late.). Weve updated the security on the site. Nobody at home or in her preschool suggested or encouraged the decision. Molly had a sleepover the night before her fateful crash. Molly, who was wearing a bike helmet, hit the pavement hard and lost consciousness. Their daughter went out for a bike ride with a pal and never came home. Try again. (LOS ANGELES) The parents of a 12-year-old California girl who died last year after an accident involving an electric bike, or e-bike, say they want to see change. And perhaps no company has profited more from the emergence of this market than Rad Power Bikes. Thanks for your help! But I am a desperate mother, and I know from my cancer experience that prayer is powerful. At the same time, their hearts were broken in a way that felt like they would never mend. Some could be because of errors made in the assembly or maintenance of the bikesalthough its worth noting that allowing consumers to circumvent professional assembly and regular maintenance is part of the DTC e-bike business model. All About Molly McNearney, Who Is Adam Scott's Wife? Its a demand letter with a legal treatise.). We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Bryce Young is an American football quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide. (One experienced bicycle attorney had this to say about it: In 50 years, Ive not seen a complaint like thatits more like a novel than a complaint. Molly This story will prevent others from being injured or killed on Rad Power Bikes," the mom of three tweeted. Regulation and rules and certification standards make a difference, says Hon. Are you sure that you want to delete this flower? My heart is broken for them, says attorney Wilborn. | On August 7, 2022 03:58 AM. He had to take a 90-minute ambulance ride and then a Life Flight helicopter to a hospital in Eugene where he underwent surgery to relieve pressure beneath his cracked skull. Jon says that Kaye was freaking out and he tried to tell her not to worry. Its like primal, you knowyou want your mom.. How Many Games Are Played In The First Round Of The NHL Playoffs. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Nobody wants to hear that, of course, but initially the doctors seemed cautiously optimistic that the injuries werent as bad as they could have been. Perhaps because Im an experienced bike rider, I felt a great deal of concern about the situation, knowing that I live in a community with steep hills and busy streets and worrying about my kids being suddenly confronted with a braking failure.