They say the house is cursed. Two young boys from different families have died in tragic accidents at the same house in Odenton within the past three months.
“This house has to be cursed. I don?t know how much longer we?ll be here,” said Jennifer Titchenell, 30, who was devastated when her son, Steven Richards, 7, was struck by a falling tree branch Wednesday in 7900 block of Telegraph Road.
Steven died about 5 p.m. at Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie, Anne Arundel police said.
“There has to be something wrong with this place to take two babies in three months,” Titchenell said.
Derrick “D.J.” Clark Jr., 2, died there Jan. 9 when he was struck by a car as he walked from the house to his grandfather across Telegraph Road, police said. The house belongs to the Clark family with whom the Titchenells are staying temporarily.
“Everyone?s been keeping a close watch on the kids since D.J. died,” said Steven?s stepfather, Ron Titchenell, 32, who was working on his car in the driveway about 4:30 p.m. when the accident occurred.
“I had told the kids to go downstairs to do their homework and that?s when I heard the branch snap,” Ron Titchenell said as he stood below the tree Thursday morning.
The branch fell about 25 feet and almost struck two boys, but Steven Richards pushed his older brother John Richards, 8, out of the way.
“We picked Steven up and laid him on the hood of the car to do CPR,” Ron Titchenell said.
“I was doing the breaths, and Jennifer did compressions. I just wanted him to wake up.”
Jennifer Titchenell said the paramedics initially planned to take Steven to Johns Hopkins Children?s Center in Baltimore City, but then prepared to fly him to University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore City.
She said they again changed their minds and decided to transport Steven to Baltimore Washington Medical Center.
“They?re supposed to know what they?re doing. If they had just made up their minds, my baby might still be here,” Jennifer Titchenell said.
The emergency room doctor told Steven?s parents that his skull had been crushed, but the autopsy results are pending.
Steven has two older brothers and a younger sister. He loved working on cars with his stepfather.
“He was just so kind and loving,” Jennifer Titchenell said.
“My baby can?t be replaced.”
