In Memory of Molly | Trips and Giggles Sadixya Bista And the truth is, most customers dont understand why theyd want to spend another $500, Quan says. In the greater Los Angeles area where the Steinsapirs liveand in lots of other affluent communities around the countrye-bikes have become a de facto mode of transportation for kids of middle and high school age. Twelve-year-old Molly Steinsapir died following a critical injury sustained on Jan. 31, 2021. We are incredibly blessed to be her parents.'. 12-year-old Molly Steinsapir dies after tragic bike accident After my first meeting with Kaye and Jon at their home in August, I decide to retrace the route of Molly and Emes final ride. GREAT NEWS! The primary regulation governing e-bikes in the U.S. is included within the Code of Federal Regulations Part 1512. For the record, I think e-bikes are one of the more transformative products to come along in our lifetime. So, It doesn't feel fair. 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. The failure to warn is really significant in a situation like this, says Kaye, who says she didnt even really know what an e-bike was at the time and that shed frequently seen other kids even younger using similar bikes in the same manner. Helmets Shreeya Nair. He was riding on a bike trail in Washington, D.C., on a nearly new RadMini Step-Thruhe says it was two weeks old and had maybe 70 miles on it. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. And people who are not qualified are doing this and applying a brand graphic, and voil, theyre in the e-bike business., Manufacturers in the e-bike space concur. Even Kaye and Jonathan claim the bike started to shake and wobble while taking the bike down, which resulted in a crash. E-bike brake safety questions after death of Molly Steinsapir - The Parents file lawsuit against e-bike company after daughter's Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. That is pretty scary, he says. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. None of the answers, however they are formulated or enacted, will diminish the loss of Molly Steinsapir. They followed the emergency vehicles, winding up increasingly steep hills toward the top of Enchanted Way. Rad Power Bikes ebike is not to be operated by anyone under the age of 16. Despite a series of increasingly desperate surgeries to address her head injuries, Molly would be pronounced dead a little more than two weeks later. And for safety as well. They thought hard about what Molly would wantto help other peopleand signed the paperwork. Some could simply be user error on the part of inexperienced riders who are not prepared to stop or control a heavy bike going fast. Late afternoon light is streaming into the living room of their home in the Pacific Palisades; their dog, Calvin, is barking his head off in the yard because he wants to be inside. In the morning the girls made another mess baking cinnamon rolls, and then sat in matching pajamas watching The Little Mermaid. It was a place where she was very free and not scared. The room is quiet for a moment after that. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. 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. And it doesnt happen at the outset, because as a country we have decided we value entrepreneurship and business and letting people just go to market, and then we find out if the thing is safe or not as it is sold and marketed and used., As previously noted, the Steinsapirs legal complaint alleges that the manual for the RadRunner contained one sentencein small type on the 49th page of the large bookletstating that the RadRunner is designed for use by persons 18 years or older. That language has since been changed. On August 4, Molly's mother shared about another sleepless night. 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. All About Molly McNearney, Who Is Adam Scott's Wife? Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. To see him with breathing tubes was terrifying, she says. So Kaye and Jon jumped in the car and drove to the house. She liked but didnt love Taylor Swift. This, of course, is hardly the only demographic spurring the massive growth of the e-bike marketthere is also a huge contingent of adult commuters and utility riders and fun seekers. Im very happy buying a shirt or a pair of socks online and having it delivered to my door. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. On Sunday, January 31, 2021, Molly was in a terrible bike accident and sustained a traumatic brain injury. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. By Parents Sue E-Bike Maker After Their 12-Year-Old Daughter Dies In late January, Molly Steinsapir was involved in a devastating bike accident. Team Molly mom uses childs death to help others handle death Daughter of Michael Jackson estate lawyer dies after moms And so, when Molly was allowed to have her best friend, Eme, over for the night, it was a very big deal. There was a problem getting your location. Resend Activation Email. 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. Lawyers and legislators can decide where the burden lies, but the undeniable reality is that e-bikes need to meet higher safety standards. So Rad Power is not violating any laws in this case, even accepting the Steinsapirs argument that Rad Power marketed its products to minors. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Kaye and Jonathan with their two sons Eli and Nathaniel in Mollys room. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Weve updated the security on the site. The pandemic had in so many ways fundamentally altered the experience of young people. She loved Disney movies and Broadway musicals. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? She played Princess Jasmine in a summer production of Aladdin and had roles in Peter Pan and Guys & Dolls. "We love you, Molly. The Steinsapirs are suing Rad Power Bikes, and their legal complaint alleges that the Seattle-based company should be liable for Mollys death. But he learned that this only bought him a few weeks, and that after tightening those cables a few times, one of the calipers clicked into a different position where there was zero braking action. Then the phone rang. That settlement was challenged by Rad Power, which filed a cross-complaint against the Greens, alleging that they should be required to compensate the bike brand for a portion of any liability losses it might incur. The family and their attorneys would not comment on the matter.). Is Bryce Young Related To Vince Young? "Molly has been called home to G-d. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Jon gets up and paces around the room for a minute, then sits back down. It's stressful and forces them back to the darkest place and the circumstances of Molly's death. Except the ocean, Jon continues. One of the paramedics rode in the back with Molly, so Kaye had to sit up front. 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. Tim Van Patten is an American director, actor, screenwriter, and producer. Kaye let the girls make a giant mess in the kitchen as Molly showed her pal how to bake her Aunt Pollys chocolate chip cookies from scratch. But, based on the number of kids riding the bikes, the company probably knew they were getting into risky territory. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. The organ donation snafus brought a traumatic end to a traumatic ordeal, but now the Steinsapirs are tearing up as they detail where all of Mollys organs eventually wound up. All About Naomi Scott, Jeremiah Brent Takes Daughter, 7, to First Fashion Show, Says She 'Hasn't Stopped Sketching', Family Searching for Answers After N.Y. Lawyer, 38, Is Killed While Traveling in Chile, Parents Sue TikTok After Daughters Die Doing 'Blackout Challenge': 'We Want People to Be Aware', Christina Hall Says She Doesn't Want Daughter Taylor to Follow in Her Design Footsteps 'for a While', a 12-year-old who passed away after a bike injury, critical injury sustained on Jan. 31, 2021. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Molly looked so small on that hospital bed. Molly Steinsapir, the 12-year-old daughter of two high-class lawyers, has died after her mom chronicled her traumatic brain injury and her fight for life. In short, I think e-bikes can help change the world for the better. By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief After suffering brain trauma in a bike accident going downhill and wearing a helmet, Palisadian Molly Steinsapir died following over two weeks in the intensive care unit at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center on February 15. Molly has been called home to G-d, wrote her mother, Kaye Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. She saw Hamilton in Chicago and knew the words to every song. The doctors were scrambling to save their daughter. Consumers need to realize there is no general certification or safety standard that is required, so each brand is making these decisions. From the vantage point of the cul-de-sac up top, its easy to see all the questions about this case without really seeing any of the answers in sharp focus. The next day, she announced the death of her beloved daughter, which is the worst nightmare for every parent. Molly had been hurt while riding downhill, even though she was wearing a helmet, according to PEOPLE. This story will begin and end on a breathtaking stretch of tarmac called Enchanted Way. Most kids chose the obvious classicsWashington and Lincoln and Jefferson, Jackie Robinson and Martin Luther King Jr. Molly took a deep dive into the life of Deborah Sampson, the first woman to fight in the U.S. military. A 12-Year-Old Died on an E-bike. Represented the Estate of Michael Jackson in a jury trial defending claims by producer Quincy Jones that the Estate had underpaid royalties to Jones after Jacksons tragic dying in 2009. Enchanted Way lies in Pacific Palisades, an affluent neighborhood on L.A.s Westside that borders Malibu, Santa Monica, Brentwood, and the Pacific Ocean. I can hear birds chirp and smell ocean air and see sunlight sparkling on the Pacific. The DTC brands like to say, we take out the middleman so its cheaper, but as we in the bike industry know, you can take out some cost by cutting out the dealer and service, but the reality is that a lot of the price reduction comes from cutting corners on component quality, he says. Nonetheless, she endured the mishap but had several injuries. In 20 years, nothing has been changed or supplemented under this federal regulation. I just took out my phone and tried to call my mom. How E-Bikes Got These Riders Back in the Saddle, Americas Most Dangerous Road for Cyclists, A Driver Killed a Teen Cyclist Without Consequence, E-Bike Maintenance: Everything You Need to Know, Self-Driving Cars Wont Save Us Anytime Soon, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Some parents were clued into the problem and were either scheduling regular maintenance with local shops or learning how to make the fixes at home, while others had no idea that their kids were riding heavy electric bikes that couldnt stop properly without frequent maintenance. Then Enchanted Way pitches skyward and my mood gets heavy. 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. Kaye and Jon Steinsapir say their daughter was a stubbornly benevolent force from day one. | On August 7, 2022 03:58 AM. I suppose this is an appropriate moment to share that I have two RadRunners sitting in my garage. Molly Steinsapir's Parents Sue E-Bike Company After Daughter's Then I made a few adjustments to get the disc brakes back in seemingly perfect working order. In the absence of government standards, its up to the brands who are building these bikes to make them safe, he says. Kaye, an articulate storyteller, has taken her heartbreak to social media, picking up more than 120,000 Twitter followers along the way. Molly Steinsapir with her beloved brother Nate Steinsapir ready for camping( Source : I started a thread on Nextdoor with a summary of the problem and how to address it, and soon I was DMing with parents who wanted tips on barrel and caliper adjustments. Who the Hell Even Are You, Tadej Pogaar? After analyzing the safety of the invention, Rad Power Bikes have never redesigned the bike. This account has been disabled. The complaints I heard fell into two categoriespeople who say they suddenly lost braking power and crashed, and people who say their front wheel came off the bike as they were riding it. On July 31, Kaye shared the picture of her daughter with Nate. "The entire Rad Power Bikes team extends its deepest condolences to the Steinsapir family on the tragic loss of Molly Steinsapir," the statement read. While our hearts are broken in a way that feels like they can never be mended, we take comfort knowing that Molly's twelve years were filled with love and joy. Now the focus is on electric bike brakes and young people's safety. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Westwood, Los Angeles County, California, USA. 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? Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? We have to tout the value of buying from a trusted brand that is being built by a qualified mechanic and given aftercare., Hon concurs. It was really hard to leave her there on life support, says Kaye. Now they know it was preventable. When she was 4, Molly decided to be a vegetarian. There was an error deleting this problem. I read the instructions and followed directions. Please try again later. 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. The doctors will accomplish one more exam tomorrow.'. 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 But those things dont need service., Hon also feels that brands need to do more to spec their bikes with safety in mind. "My cousin told me that Mark Hamill liked one of my Tweets," Kaye wrote in response. The little girl's We feel you strengthening us to do what is right, to fight for change and accountability. After the incident, her friend asked for help and immediately took her to the hospital. Redford says she even joked with her daughter about the worst-case scenario: Wouldnt it be crazy if your brakes went out [on the way down]? But thats exactly what she says happened. Kaye added that if Molly is non-responsive, they will say she is no longer with us. Molly's parents are concerned about other children like her daughter and filed laws after the death of their 12-year daughter. It felt like everything was tightened properly. In any case, as he was riding on the path, he went down a dip, and maybe 15 seconds later the front of the bike plunged to the ground as the fork scraped on the pavement. Tawny Redford and her daughter were riding Rad Power e-bikes in the posh L.A. neighborhood of Bel Air this past July. Doctors initially thought Molly would be One doctor said he thought Molly might remain unconscious for a couple of weeks and then have to deal with light sensitivity and headaches. Most people want to go after the mass market. The accident took place two weeks ago on January 31. I dont know how they can prevent that, but it seems fairly clear that they havent tried very hard., Peter Wilborn, a Florida-based attorney and founder of the Bike Law Network, has a similar view. Twelve-year-old Molly Steinsapir died following a critical injury sustained on Jan. 31, 2021. Parents File Lawsuit in Death of Daughter Riding a Power Bike in Its a demand letter with a legal treatise.). Similar accidents have been happening for years, so they are fighting back against other children using an e-bike. An 11-year-old named Eme Green was piloting the e-bike, and her friend Molly Steinsapir, 12, was nestled behind her on a cushioned seat intended for a second passenger. This story also begins with two preteen girls on a bicycleto be specific, since it matters, on an electric bike made by the ascendant Rad Power Bikes. ). Kaye and Jon Steinsapir understandably bristle at the suggestion that they should be held responsible for what happened to Molly. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? The tweets chronicled the ups and downs of Molly's care, including MRIs, blood transfusions and multiple surgeries to relieve pressure in her brain. 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. When I'm sitting here in this sterile room hour after hour, your messages of hope make me feel less alone," Kaye wrote on Feb. 4. 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. Parents file lawsuit against e-bike company after Brody Darlington was only 11 when he crashed. Tristan is a well-known superstar with a sizable fan base as a resul Tim Van Patten and his wife, Wendy Rossmeyer, married in May 1996. Jon was playing with their dog, Calvin. Molly had a sleepover the night before her fateful crash. 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. Molly had been admitted to UCLA, and her mother, Kaye, updated her about her situation on Twitter. 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. 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. She loved to bake and got pretty good at it during the pandemic. Rad doesnt appear to have broken a law, and can assert they dont have to be held to a higher standard than the law. No one has thought through the consequences of young kids essentially driving heavy, difficult-to-control, throttle-powered e-bikes. Its clear to me from the complaint that the familys attorneys are trying really hard to assert that theres something specifically wrong with the bike, he says. And that when people are making lots of money, sometimes these decisions are made too fast and without adequate testing and the ultimate loser is the user. 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. She added and asked people to donate to a children's charity. (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.). According to the Molly Steinsapir was a 12 years old girl who died in Bike Accident. On August 1, 2022roughly 18 months after the crash that had killed their daughterJon and Kaye Steinsapir filed suit against Rad Power Bikes, citing product negligence, breach of warranty, strict product liability, and wrongful death. 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. We would not put low-cost mechanical disc brakes on a heavy cargo bike, Hon says. Its not someplace youd want two kids to be sitting on a 65-pound e-bike. Molly's parents filed a wrongful-death lawsuit on Monday against the Seattle e-bike company Rad Power Bikes after considering the danger to other children. They are fun to ride and usefulable to reduce peoples dependence on driving, which helps fix complicated problems like traffic congestion and bad air quality. Thats not, Hey, my 12-year-old couldnt control the car and thats the car manufacturers fault. That said, Hon notes that Terns current policy regarding this issue is to simply advise customers to follow the laws in their city and state, but that the company is presently reexamining this position in light of litigation like that brought by the Steinsapirs. I was aware that certain compromises were made to hit that price point, but I initially felt it was a solid and extremely fun bike for the money. Molly Steinsapir, the daughter of Michael Jackson estate lawyer Jon Steinsapir, was in a terrible bike accident Jan. 31 and was being treated at UCLA in the days leading up to her untimely death, a GoFundMe account set up for the family said. They said to keep driving uphill. She replied that if at some point the girls wanted to ride Emes sisters new electric bike (it was a bat mitzvah gift), they were welcome to walk over and use it. "Thank you, @GMA. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free weekly newsletter to get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday. For Jon and Kaye, its like Molly died several timeswhen doctors declared her deceased with no brain activity, when they said their last goodbyes a few days later, when her heart was removed from her body. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. 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We are immensely blessed to be her parents," Kaye wrote on Twitter announcing her daughter's passing. You can buy a tire in China for a dollar, or you can buy one for 10 dollars. Hon then opines, and the parts that are one, two, three dollars theyre not designed for regular usage, let alone usage on a heavy e-bike.. For Bryce to achieve his dreams, his parents have equally played an important role a Judge Elizabeth Scherer is an American circuit judge, equestrian, and advocate lawyer. The entire Rad Power Bikes team extends its deepest condolences to the Steinsapir family on the tragic loss of Molly Steinsapir. After the accident, Mollys mother posted a call for prayer on Twitter, rallying hundreds of Both Kaye and her husband are prominent lawyers in Los Angeles, with Jon having worked with the estate of Michael Jackson, according to the New York Daily News. One of my neighborshis name is Ezra Holland and he lives about five blocks from mesays that almost immediately he started noticing disturbing braking issues with the RadRunner he purchased early in 2022. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. You can buy a quick release for 50 cents or spend $50 on thru axles. Codified in 2003, it defines e-bikes by the somewhat simple description: A two- or three-wheeled vehicle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts and can go no faster than 20 miles an hour on a paved level surface while ridden by an operator who weighs 170 pounds. Ng says he wound up with injuries to his femoral artery and may have to take blood thinners for the rest of his life. "Molly has been called home to G-d. Likewise, they have not broken any existing laws governing the required ages to ride an e-bike; they simply tell consumers to follow federal, state, or municipal guidance on that matter. After spending more than an hour with me celebrating the life of their daughter, Jon and Kaye Steinsapir are ready to talk about the day Molly crashed. The claim continued, saying, "Rad knew or should have known that this was an unsafe and defective design. Molly had been wearing a helmet, Steinsapir said, and was bicycling with a friend near the familys home in Los Angeles. While our hearts are broken in a way that feels like they can never be mended, we take comfort knowing that Molly's twelve years were filled with love and joy. The parents shouldnt have allowed it to happen. Or a lot of deaths to move the CPSC., Hon feels that more needs to be doneby either the government or the brands themselves. You just have to pick up a catalog and start ordering, says Hong, founder of the DTC brand Karmic. But none of them had heard of Deborah Sampson before. It happened as soon as she realized what meat was, Kaye says, recalling that efforts to cajole Molly to occasionally eat fish were not successful. Nobody at home or in her preschool suggested or encouraged the decision. But her parents are determined to hold accountable the company that made the e-bike from which she tumbled onto the pavement and died.