June 1, 2007

WHITE, Ark., June 1 (UPI) -- The White County, Ark., sheriff's department launched an investigation after an 18-month-old boy died in a dishwasher.
Blake Kurck reportedly died after crawling into a dishwasher that locked itself from the outside and turned on, the Searcy (Ark.) Daily Citizen reported.

"What we have found so far is that we suggest this is a tragic accident," said Jeremy Clark, the chief deputy of the White County Sheriffs Department. "However, the case is still open and we're still investigating."

Foul play hasn't been ruled out by detectives, the newspaper said.

The child's family has been cooperative, and a preliminary autopsy has shown that he died from exposure to heat, said Clark.

"Injuries on the body come from a scalding-type burn," Lt. Fred Cheek told the Daily Citizen. "I've worked crime scenes for the sheriff for the last six years, and I've never seen anything like this."

White County, Arkansas - (KTHV)A 13-year-old White County boy makes a shocking discovery. He finds his baby brother dead inside a running dishwasher. Detectives say right now they consider it a tragic accident, but they are still questioning family members.

It's being described by detectives as one of the worst death scenes in their careers.

White County Detective Mark Jones, says, "I’ve worked the crime scenes for the sheriff's department for the last six years and I have never come across a scene such as this."

Detectives say what they found inside the Romance mobile home on Snowbird Road was 18-month-old Clifton Kurk dead, covered in severe burns.

"I think that what we've found out so far would suggest that this was a tragic accident. However, the case is open and we're still looking," says Chief Deputy Jeremy Clark.

Clark says Kurk's mother was at work and his father asleep when his 13-year-old brother made the gruesome discovery.

Clark explains, "I believe the child walked out of the room, realized that his little brother wasn't there, heard the dishwasher on and found that odd. The baby's blanket was laying in front of the dishwasher.”

Deputies believe the toddler had been inside the running dishwasher, set on high heat, for as long as 15 minutes, but no one is sure exactly how he got inside and closed the door.

"There are some theories," says Clark. "I don't really know how to answer that. I don't like giving theories as far as any evidence of how the child got in there. No one saw the child get in there that's been reported to us. Again, the family's been very cooperative they've done everything we've asked of them and been understanding of what we have to do even though they've suffered a tragic loss. I don't want to lose focus of that."

Deputies say they'd never been called to the house before and believe this may be nothing more than a tragic lesson in keeping a closer eye on your children.

"Watch your kids. You can never be too safe," says Clark.

The Maytag dishwasher was removed from the home as evidence. Detectives say the investigation could last for several more days, or possibly weeks.

In a THV update, investigators have ruled the death of a White County toddler, killed in a dishwasher, an accident.

However, charges are pending against his father. Police say he will likely face endangering the welfare of a minor charges.

Detectives say 18-month-old Clifton Kurk died from scalding burns in a dishwasher at his family’s mobile home in Romance. They say he climbed into the appliance after the dish racks were pulled out. They say it started running when his two-year-old brother shut the door.

Detectives say Kurk's mother was at work and his father was asleep when his 13-year-old brother made the gruesome discovery.

DHHS now has custody of the two-year-old and the couple's 13-year-old son.