Fundraising page established for baby who died in tragic Brisbane magpie accident

A little girl who died after a tragic accident involving a magpie in a Brisbane park is five-month-old Mia, described as ‘beautiful’ and whose arrival made her parents’ life complete.

The baby girl who died after a tragic accident involving a magpie at a Brisbane park has been identified as five-month-old Mia.

Mia was taken to hospital on Sunday with critical injuries after her mother fell while holding her, after trying to duck a swooping magpie.

The little girl later died.

The incident happened at Glindemann Park at Holland Park West just after midday on Sunday.

Brisbane City Council has been questioned about why the magpie was not removed from the area after at least one official complaint was lodged.

In the wake of the tragedy, a fundraiser has been set up – raising about $60,000 as of 3pm on Tuesday.

An entry on the GoFundMe page, by someone identified as Sophie P, says Mia was born on February 25 this year, to Jacob and Simone.

“Everything about Mia was perfect from her head full of hair, to her tiny little nose and her little long toes. Mia’s arrival made Jacob and Simone’s lives complete, they constantly doted over her, showered her with love, and shared her for all their loved ones to adore.

“Beautiful she was, and loved by all who got to meet her. The joy Mia brought to all of our lives cannot be described in words, but is certainly felt in all of our hearts.”

Bird catchers remove the magpie. Picture: Liam Kidston

On 8 “August 2021 this horrible world dealt a blow no one could ever imagine. On this day, in Glindemann Park, Holland Park West an absolute tragic and sudden accident occurred, where beautiful Mia, at only five young months of age, grew her little angel wings and left this world for the final time. Shattering everyone’s hearts, and crushing Jacob and Simone’s world in the blink of an eye where no day would ever be the same.

“No words can begin to describe the torture Jacob and Simone are going through. A life cut so short, much sooner than any one of us expected. Mia was and forever will be the light of Jacob and Simone’s lives.

PHD student Amir Ganjavi being attacked by the same magpie that has caused the accident involving a mother and her baby, Holland Park. Picture: Liam Kidston

“Jacob and Simone have not asked for anything but time, time to grieve the loss of their stunning little ray of sunshine. We as family will forever be here for them, to love, cherish and support them through the good times and the bad.

“Katie and Sophie are trying their absolute best to get an exemption to cross the Queensland border so they can be there to support our family, but as for now, the absolute least we can all do is to try and raise some money. Raise some money to not only help Jacob and Simone pay for the cost of Mia’s funeral, but to enable Jacob and Simone to take as much time away from work and the world as they need, and to relieve all of the financial stress associated with this absolute horrific tragedy.

The magpie involved in the tragedy. Picture: Liam Kidston

“Katie, Sophie, Claudia and Steph are the sisters to the proudest and most doting mother and father. We ask you as their family, their friends, their acquaintances, or even strangers, to dig deep and donate whatever you can to allow them to take as long as they need to grieve.

“From the bottom of our hearts, we ask you to donate whether it be big or small. For those that cannot afford to donate, sharing this to spread the word and the love would mean everything. We can guarantee Jacob and Simone will be forever grateful to you all.

“We love you both Jacob and Simone, and will forever love you Mia….Fly high baby girl…

“Love always and forever Katie, Sophie, Claudia and Steph xxx”

Flowers at the scene of the incident in Holland Park. Picture: Liam Kidston

Queensland Ambulance Service clinical support officer Tom Holland said it was a heightened and emotive scene when they arrived on Sunday after the tragic accident.

“The Queensland Ambulance Service were called to Glindemann Park ... for a magpie who swooped the mother who has unfortunately tripped in this tragic incident,” he said.

Critical care paramedics were also on the scene treating baby Mia.

“The little one was given the best possible pre-hospital care and was transported really quickly to the Queensland Children’s Hospital,” Mr Holland said.

“Even as paramedics this is an incredibly, incredibly rare and tragic event for us to go to.

“Mia was presenting with quite a serious head injury from the incident and she received the absolute best pre-hospital care in a really efficient and timely manner which allowed us to get her to Queensland Children’s Hospital as quickly as possible.”

Mr Holland said his thoughts were with Mia’s parents.

People in the community are now laying flowers at the scene of the tragic incident.

Neighbours who helped the devastated mother and father on the afternoon of the tragedy came to the scene with their baby daughter to pay respects and lay a number of hand made tributes.

“What else can you do? It’s a horrible incident. We were standing right here when it happened,” the father said.

The pair helped to organise an ambulance and stayed with the parents.

Kim Trinh lives in the apartment block across the street from the park and said she herself was swooped just days before the incident.

“It swooped from behind me and scratched my head,” she said

“I’ve seen it happen quiet a few times … What happened with the woman and her baby is horrible.”

Pearce McNeale and his four-year-old son Sidney live in the area and regularly visit the park.

Flowers left near the scene of Sunday's tragedy at Holland Park. Picture: Liam Kidston

The pair dropped flowers at the scene in tribute of the baby.

“You don’t expect that at all. It’s horrible especially as a parent. I told my son last night and he said we should come and drop flowers for her,” he said.

A woman who preferred not to be named laid flowers at the scene and said her heart went out to the family.

“I have young grandsons who play in the park down the road and I just think we’ll be a lot more careful now knowing about this,” she said.

Other family members took to social media to remember the “gorgeous little baby”.

“Rest In Peace, gorgeous girl,” one family member wrote on Facebook.

“You were such a sweet, happy little thing. You’ll be missed by so many.”

A woman who preferred not to be named said her son worked with the father of the baby and she herself had a seven month grandchild meaning the tragedy hit even closer to home.

“That magpie has been a problem for years. It’s just so sad it had to come to this. They say it’s been relocated but no one else wants this problem so who knows,” she said.

Andrea lives across the road from the park and described the magpies as “dangerous”.

“They come down like planes. I’ve been swooped a number of times,” she said.

A man who lived in the area dropped a potted plant to the tribute.

He said he has seen mothers and their children be attacked by the bird in the past.

“I wasn’t there when it happened but I’ve seen similar stuff when I’m scootering past. I just heard the news and I really felt it,” he said.

Council arrived to the scene mid morning to put up another warning sign regarding the swooping magpies.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner spoke to the media regarding the incident on Tuesday morning. Picture: Liam Kidston

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the council would undertake an urgent investigation into the “unthinkable” tragedy.

“This morning I’ve asked the CEO of council to conduct a thorough and detailed investigation of this situation to ask some important questions,” he said.

“First of all, what exactly happened, secondly were all procedures followed to the letter of the law and thirdly what can we improve to make sure something like this never happens again.”

When asked repeatedly about how many reports were made to council about Glindemann Park, Cr Schrinner said that would form part of the investigation.

“That is information that I am not currently aware of and that is why I have asked the CEO to provide the actual facts about what has happened, when complaints were made and what was done with those complaints,” he said.

Cr Schrinner said the standard procedure for reporting swooping events involved residents reporting any incidents to the council’s call centre.

That initial report then “triggers an investigation” by council officers who go out on site to identify the bird and determine if it needs to be removed.

Cr Schrinner said the investigation was expected to be finalised by the end of next week.

“We will get to the bottom of it,” Cr Schrinner said.

“I’m not here to defend policy or procedure, I’m here to make sure that we fix this, improve our processes and make sure something like this never happens again.”