Ipswich girl who lost brother in magpie swooping incident shares heartbreak

The sister of an Ipswich boy killed in 2010 when he ran into the path of a car while fleeing a swooping magpie says her “heart sank” when she heard about baby Mia’s death.

The sister of a 12-year-old boy who was killed during a tragic magpie swooping incident in Ipswich said her “heart sank” when she saw the news about baby Mia’s death.

Walloon State School student Ivan Sthrowski-Wood was fleeing a swooping magpie when he ran into the path of a car in August 2010.

Ivan Sthrowski-Wood was killed when he ran into the path of a car while fleeing a swooping magpie at Walloon in 2010.

He died three weeks later in hospital.

Susie Sthrowski-Wood told The Courier Mail her family never recovered from the death of her soccer-loving little brother, who would have turned 23 this year.

“I don’t think we’ll ever recover from burying a little one,” she said.

Tributes near where Ivan Sthrowski-Wood was killed.

Ms Sthrowski-Wood said she cried in her car after hearing about the five-month-old baby’s death on the news, which brought flashbacks of her own brother’s tragic death.

She wanted Mia’s family to know they were not alone.

“My heart goes out to them, I feel for the mother and father,” she said.

“Little Mia looked like a beautiful little child.

Baby Mia.

“I want them to know they are not alone and we understand what it’s like and are more than happy to lend an ear or a shoulder if they need it.”

Ms Sthrowski-Wood said she hoped the council would monitor aggressive magpies more closely and educate people on what to do when a magpie swoops.