Ford Escape: Exposing a Deadly Defect

It’s every parent’s nightmare: to see your child in danger, but not be able to help. Saige Bloom was driving her 2002 Ford Escape when the vehicle accelerated, and despite everything she did to stop the car, it kept accelerating. Her mother, following behind in another car, called 911 for help. She watched helplessly as her daughter’s Escape swerved through traffic to avoid other drivers. Finally, Saige’s car clipped a grey sedan and flipped three times. Saige Bloom lost her life as a result of that accident. KNXV-TV reported on that initial accident, but didn’t stop there. The station uncovered information on a known defect in the Escape and Ford’s failure to correctly make repairs to affected vehicles, including Saige’s car. Despite financial pressure from some of its major advertisers, KNXV-TV continued to research hundreds of documents, displaying a persistence and determination to uncover the truth, no matter what the cost. Their investigation led to news reports that exposed a problem and led to government actions that corrected the problem. For its exemplary investigative journalism, KNXV-TV’s Ford Escape: Exposing a Deadly Defect receives a Peabody Award.