Abstract: An essentially weightless hospital youth crib side gate having a latch mechanism requiring a compound sequential motion for release. A pair of spring powered reels are attached at opposite ends of the lower horizontal frame member of a side gate of a hospital youth crib and the spring powered wire cables are attached to the side gate crib track which is mounted to the crib frame. The spring powered reels counterbalance the weight of the side gate producing an essentially "weightless" side gate. The gate further includes a latch release mechanism whereby a push button must first be fully depressed before a pair of latch handles can be brought together to fully release the latch rods which hold the side gate in a predetermined position. Only after both motions have been sequentially performed can the side gate be raised or lowered. Operating the latch requires only a single adult hand and is very difficult to be operated by a child, even if the child were to use both hands.