Fascination With Trains Blamed in Boy’s Death

A 4-year-old Lake Forest boy’s fascination with trains probably cost him his life, his anguished father, Nicholas Endoso, said Monday.

Christian Endoso, out for an afternoon walk with his baby sitter Saturday, apparently heard the rumble from Amtrak 577 from San Diego to Los Angeles as it neared a railway crossing bridge and quickly scampered toward the train, authorities said.

Christian was struck by the streaking locomotive and hurled some 70 feet, all the way off the bridge, said Capt. Dan Young, spokesman for the Orange County Fire Authority.

The child was being watched by John Allinson, a longtime family friend of Nicholas Endoso, and the boy’s mother, Astrid Harvey. Allinson, whose leg was severed below the knee and then reattached by doctors at Western Medical Center-Santa Ana, was in stable condition Monday.

“I go through different feelings of being angry and wondering why,” said Endoso, 35. “There are so many other places to play, why did they have to play on the train tracks?”

Endoso said he spoke with Liela Allinson, John Allinson’s wife, Monday morning.

“John’s had like 20 transfusions,” Endoso said. “Liela is taking it really hard too.”

Liela Allinson declined to comment Monday.

The couples, who have been friends more than 10 years, met through Endoso, a hairdresser who used to cut Liela’s hair. Endoso later discovered that she lived in his Westminster apartment complex when Astrid Harvey, who is also a hairdresser, met and became friends with Liela Allinson.

The Allinsons followed Endoso and Harvey to Lake Forest and they lived near one another, Endoso said. Liela Allinson was Christian’s regular baby sitter.

“They were like second parents to Christian,” Endoso said. “I know [John] loved Christian and Christian loved him. Christian was like an older brother to the [Allinson] girls. They’ve known him since they were born.”

Liela Allinson worked at a store on some Saturdays, Endoso said. On those occasions, John Allinson, 36, a computer programmer, would watch their two daughters as well as Christian.

Around 12:15 p.m. Saturday, John Allinson took all three children out for a stroll.

As they walked along the railroad tracks, Christian apparently heard the train, got excited and ran ahead of Allinson, Endoso said he was told by authorities.

“Bear in mind, this thing is screaming in at a pretty good pace through here,” Capt. Young said. “The little girls ran off of the tracks and the little boy ran toward the train.”

“John Allinson said he ran after him,” Young continued. “He said he ran to get the little boy and got there at the same time as the train did.”

The engineer saw the boy but could not stop the train--traveling an estimated 80 mph--in time, authorities said.

Christian was dead when paramedics found him. Allinson was sprawled on adjacent railroad tracks five feet away, unable to move. He was taken by helicopter to the hospital.

Amtrak spokeswoman Dawn Soper said Monday that the train crew was still too distraught to talk about the accident. There will be no federal investigation, she said.

Endoso and Harvey spent Monday making funeral arrangements for Christian, their only child. Endoso said his son’s favorite toy was a train.

“All boys are fascinated with trains,” Endoso said. “But train tracks are not safe places to play.”