The crime blotter writeup was both hilarious and sad...those poor Kindles! Another suggestion: get a hard case.
I have and can recommend this one:
http://amzn.com/B0064JEXUY I used it without a case for my Kindle Touch for two years. It's worn well, no issues, is lightweight, and is surprisingly solid. Not much flex to the front, so unlike most sleeves, it really will add protection from things knocking about in her purse. A pocket alone can't really do much other than protect from scratches.
This case is also big enough to handle the PW2 in a case similar to Amazon's, as that's how I have mine setup for travel. Those cases are pretty minimal in terms of both drop protection and impact resistance. But they're better than nothing.
Unfortunately, protecting against drops is a trade off between weight and protection. The more solid cases generally do a better job, at a cost of making the device heavy and less comfortable to use. I personally opt for light cases for daily use, heavier duty ones for throwing in a carryon for flights (where I know I'm going to be somewhat careless about what else it might come into contact with in my bag), and ultimately, Square Trade's 2 and 3 year warranties. They do cover mishaps of all kinds!
