Car Seats for Claudia Program Honors Life of 5-Year-Old Claudia Happy

*Each new car seat comes with a stuffed lamb in honor of young Claudia Happy (photo S Jason Cole).*

The Good Samaritan Center of Excelsior Springs is working to transform a local tragedy into an opportunity to save lives. Car Seats for Claudia is a new program that awards clients of the Center with brand new child car seats. As many will remember, on August 20, 2021, a horrific automobile accident along Seybold Road claimed the life of 5-year-old Claudia Happy, who sadly, had given up her car seat to a younger child also riding in the vehicle. Although the four others riding in the car that day were hurt, Claudia was the only one who suffered fatal injuries. An outcome that could have possibly been avoided had she been in a child’s car seat.

Claudia’s family and the Bradfords, the first family to receive car seats from the program. From left to right, Larry Happy, Heather Happy, Analese Happy, Delilah Bradford, Sharla Bradford, Christian Bailey, and Ricky Bradford (photo S Jason Cole).

Good Samaritan case worker Kriston Mosley said, “this is a chance for us to come together and try to make this right, to make sure that we don’t lose another child in Excelsior due to the lack of a car seat.” Mosley said that often, clients at the Good Samaritan Center are grandparents or other family members who have been thrust into a guardian role for children, and many times they aren’t given the adequate supplies to care for the children, including car seats. She said that the car seats being given out are awarded specifically to the children, and are meant to stay with them no matter whose vehicle they are riding in. Mosley said that along with each car seat, each child will receive a certificate with Claudia’s picture and a toy lamb, in honor of Claudia.

On hand to give out the first two car seats were Claudia’s guardian and great-aunt, Heather Happy, and Claudia’s cousins, Larry and Analese Happy. Heather was understandably emotional during the ceremony but said she felt some relief knowing that other families might be spared the pain that she and her family had suffered. Larry said, “Claudia was such a happy little girl and she always tried to make others feel happy too.” Analese spoke up adding, “Claudia was a little village girl, loved by the entire neighborhood… she was loved by everyone.”

*Sharla, Christian, Delilah, and Heather pose with Good Samaritan case worker Kriston Mosley who oversees the program (photo S Jason Cole).*

The first two car seats were awarded to the grandchildren of Sharla and Ricky Bradford, who were extremely grateful to have their family chosen as the first recipients. “It’s an honor for me for them to choose us to represent this,” said Ricky. “I never have to worry about my grandbabies,” sighed Sharla. Johnson County Sheriff’s Deputy, Marcus Champion who worked for the Excelsior Springs Police Department and was the first emergency responder on the scene of the accident last summer, was also at the event to ensure the car seats that were awarded were properly installed. “Car seats, like everything else, are expensive these days, so it’s great that this organization is providing car seats to kids in need… seeing Claudia’s name carried on like this means a lot,” said Champion.

*Marcus Champion, the first emergency responder to the accident that took Claudia’s life installs the car seats for the Bradfords (photo S Jason Cole).*

Mosley said that the Good Samaritan Center will award as many seats as they can, but getting car seats might be more difficult than people think. “The problem with donating car seats is you cannot donate used car seats because you can’t guarantee they’ve ever been in an accident, so they must be new in the box,” she said. Mosley is worried that the high cost of new car seats might be a barrier for those looking to support the program. Of the approximately 65 families per month who receive diapers from the Good Samaritan Center, Mosley said around one-third of those are in need of a car seat.

To donate a car seat or to find out how you can support Car Seats for Claudia, reach out to the Good Samaritan Center of Excelsior Springs, located at 108 S Thompson Ave, Excelsior Springs, MO 64024, Phone: (816) 630-2718.