Mother’s devastating reaction after car fatally reversed over her five-month-old baby and seriously injured her five-year-old son at Minto Mall, in Sydney’s south-west
The heart-wrenching scenes that unfolded outside a busy shopping centre when a baby was killed by a reversing driver have been laid bare by an eyewitness.
The baby – a five-month-old girl – died after when an SUV collided with her pram just outside an El Jannah takeaway restaurant at the Minto Mall on Brookfield Drive in the city’s south-west about 3.30pm on Monday.
Her five-year-old brother was critically injured and taken to Westmead Hospital. His condition has since improved.
A witness recounted to The Daily Mail on Tuesday night the harrowing moments following the crash.
‘The mother was sitting on the ground crying as she spoke to police,’ said Minto resident Megan Day, pointing to the outside wall of a restaurant just metres from where the accident took place.
‘I got here after it happened. They had a tent up working on the baby.’
Ms Day returned to the scene 24 hours later to bring flowers, a stuffed rabbit, and some pink balloons on which she’d written ‘Rest in peace little angel… Fly high baby girl’.
The parking space where the fatal accident took place remained blocked off.
A mangled pram was pictured next to a mother’s white Renault on Monday afternoon
Locals placed floral tributes outside El Jannah restaurant just metres from the accident site on Tuesday afternoon
Ms Day said she did not know the family involved, but that the tragedy had affected her deeply.
Many other locals had also placed floral tributes to the infant at the scene. Small stuffed toys were hauntingly positioned among the flowers.
El Jannah employees were seen inspecting the makeshift memorial during their breaks.
The restaurant closed its doors on Monday – though the drive-through was left operational – as police investigated. It had reopened by Tuesday.
On Monday, emergency services had got a callout that a pedestrian had been hit by a car and rushed to the mall.
Despite being given CPR by police and further treatment by paramedics, the tiny girl died at the scene.
The boy was also treated at the scene before being taken to Westmead Children’s Hospital in serious but stable condition.
On Tuesday, the car park where the incident occurred remained blocked off
A woman and a young girl were seen looking deeply upset by the tragedy
Police investigated the fatal incident outside Minto Mall’s El Jannah restaurant
Crime scene tape kept onlookers away from the horrific scene
Ms Day saw police place privacy screens around the children as paramedics worked on them
Police have launched an investigation but, at this stage, are treating the incident as a tragic accident.
Witnesses said as well as police cars and ambulances there was a helicopter flying overhead.
Locals took to social media to report the ‘crazy’ situation unfolding outside the shopping centre.
‘I (saw) a mangled pram. Praying little one’s OK,’ one woman said.
‘All I know, there was a family, a baby was hit in the stroller and another toddler was injured,’ another witness said.
‘A lady was trying to reverse back and hit the child in a stroller. It was a baby.’
She described the incident as ‘very traumatic’ before thanking police and paramedics.
‘So sad for family,’ another said.
An El Jannah staff member was seen inspecting the floral tributes on Tuesday
Tributes at the scene included one calling the dead infant ‘beautiful angel’
Police attended the restaurant again on Tuesday but could not comment on the investigation
The five-year-old boy was taken to Westmead Hospital in serious but stable condition
A crime scene has been established and police have launched an investigation.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
