Was there any way to save the kid from dying?

No

OK thanks. I thought maybe I didn't find his balloon fast enough or something .

The detective dies in the chop shop?

He saves the day in my ending

Characters can die at any time in the game. My detective dies a couple scenes past this.

No they cant and that actually disappointed me. There were times I put my controller down hopnig to die in certain scenes, like Shelby in the car, bute the game ends up making the characters save themselves. Theres only a limited number of times where they can truly die even if the situation looks like they should be able to

Did you do this on your first play through or your subsequent? The reason I ask is because I also went back and tried to "break the game" in certain areas and found out that it wasn't possible to progress without doing what they wanted to do. Which meant that even though I felt like characters could die at any given time they obviously couldn't and so it kind of feels hollow on replay. But, that being said, my first time through I didn't want anybody to die so not knowing that was the case, and at least not knowing which events would trigger the death gave me the feeling they could die at any time.

Shaun died, dad hung himself, Madison died jumping out of the window and winters got away free an clear

Ethan goes to the right place, but Shelby's waiting and about to pop him in the back. Norman shows up and fights Shelby. Ethan gets Shawn out and Madison shows up to let him know the cops will shoot him if he leaves the building. Meanwhile, Norman beats the shit out of Shelby on a conveyor belt and lets him fall to his death. He's later praised as the one that cracked the case and saved Shawn and gets a talk show appearance. Ethan, Madison and Shawn exit the building arm in arm and the cops don't shoot. They all get an apartment together and live happily ever after.

Ethan does Madison on the floor next to the bed. When the cops come after Ethan I decide to jump and get away. I didn't get through the power plant and somehow manage to fuck up Shauns location on the GPS. ARI kills Norman like a dumbass. I tried to save Lauren, but the game doesn't tell you which direction is what, so intead he kicks the window out and lets her die. Madison jumps out the window and dies. Ethan puts a gun to his head and puts a hole in it. Shelby walks away scott free. I'm replaying it since that has to be the shittiest ending EVER.