We've probably all wondered how those funny, little legal notices get on our appliances. You know the ones -- they recommend you should not attempt to iron your clothes while wearing them or that your child's Superman costume will not actually enable them to fly.
We're sure some of these legal disclaimers are necessary because someone actually tried these things (I remember unsuccessfully trying to fly as a child), though in other cases they may be the result of a freak accident.
Enter Arabella Schraeder, a curious 4-year-old adorable enough to give any Disney princess a run for her money.
Last Saturday, apprenticed by her mother, Alicia Schraeder; and grandmother, Cathy Zaccarello; Arabella was busily preparing some baked goods for an afternoon tea party with the nearly a dozen ladies of the family.
As per their usual baking routine, Schraeder is in charge of the laborous act of cutting and measuring while Arabella enjoys the common child's perk of dropping the ingredients into the counter-top mixer -- while watching the beaters churn the mixture into something delicious.
The kitchen is often the frontline for household disasters, and that afternoon was no exception. With lumpy butter struggling to thin-out in the bowl, Zaccarello was first to take a peak to monitor the progress. Next was Schraeder, followed shortly after by Arabella and her waist-length, golden hair.
You can probably guess what happened next.
In a flash, several locks of Arabella's hair fell toward the bowl and were immediately swept into the beater. The churning first yanked the little girl forward, slamming her face into the bowl. Flanked by her grandmother and quick-thinking mom, Arabella fought off the pull of the beaters while her hair was ripped from her scalp as her mother yanked the mixer's cord from the wall.
"Alicia grabbed Arabella from behind, and as I looked at her, I started to just scream. I completely lost it," said Zaccarello, describing seeing blood and the lack of hair on her granddaughter. "Alicia turned her around and started to scream."
As one might expect, chaos and shock ensued for a few short moments as the family tried to determine just what had happened to Arabelle.
When her face struck the bowl, Arabella busted her lip. She also sheared a thin layer of skin off of a finger on some part of the mixer as she instinctively tried to block her head from going further into the bowl.
After a quick trip to a doctor, who gave the little girl a clean bill of health and suggested this might be a funny story later in life, Arabella insisted the tea party must go on.
So that's just what they did. Ahh, the resiliency of children.
By all accounts, minus a lock of hair and a little skin, Arabella was fine. Though, the family is quick to mention things could have been far worse. It is for this reason they wrote to NBCDFW -- to warn others about a potential danger that might be easily overlooked in kitchens around the world. When asked about the type of mixer involved, Cathy said that was unimportant and that they just hoped to warn others about a potential hazard.
Now, with a little peach fuzz beginning to sprout on her scalp, the girls have found a few headbands that cover the scalp until all of Arabella's hair returns.
"Alicia and Arabella will continue to bake only they will use a hand mixer and wear shower caps," said Zaccarello.
Even if there is no warning advising against mixing long hair and beaters.
Get the the latest news direct to your phone with NBC DFW SMS alerts. Text "DFWBreaking" to 622339 (NBCDFW) to subscribe to this free service. (Message and data rates may apply through your mobile carrier).
Read more about it here.
