Tributes flow for baby who died at Brisbane daycare centre

The grieving family of a baby who died at a Brisbane daycare have still not been able to tell the little boy’s grandmother of his death as they prepare to lay him to rest.

Photo of baby Riley Ma who died in a family daycare home in Wakerley.

The grieving family of a baby who died at a Brisbane daycare have still not been able to tell the little boy’s grandmother, who is battling cancer overseas, as they prepare to lay him to rest.

Riley Ma died while at daycare at Wakerley on September 2 with emergency services unable to revive him.

More than a week after his death, Riley’s mother said she still couldn’t bring herself to tell her mother, who is battling advanced stage cancer, about his passing.

“I said to her Riley got hurt, so he needed time for recovery,” she said.

“She sends me messages every day to check how the baby is going.”

She added that she is grateful for the support of her husband’s parents, who have arrived in Australia to be by their side.

“They have been supporting us in the property, without Riley, we feel like the property is too empty without his noise,” she said.

“We feel like it’s too silent for us.

“They have been telling us to eat, drink, and sleep.”

The family has also received support from friends and neighbours.

“They have been cooking us food and have come to our home to talk with me,” she said.

“I just want to keep talking about my baby’s story to them and share my sadness with them.”

The wider community has also rallied behind the family since the tragedy, with a GoFundMe campaign raising more than $20,000 within days.

Flowers were laid for Riley Ma outside the day care centre where he lost his life in Wakerley. Photo: Supplied

Riley’s mum said family and friends held a traditional Chinese ceremony outside the daycare at Wakerley last Sunday to help “bring him home”.

“We wanted to give him peace and ask him to go back home,” she said.

“So we went there to let his soul come back home with us.”

Riley’s father penned a beautiful tribute to his son, sharing some of the treasured memories he had with him.

“Riley was such a healthy, adorable, and clever little boy, he was always smiling,” he wrote.

“At first, when we took him to the shopping mall, he was so nervous that he sat perfectly still in the pram, not daring to move, but as time passed, he grew to enjoy being social.

“He started smiling at strangers, wanting to interact with them. I believe he would have grown up to have a sunny, cheerful personality.

“One of the things that melted our hearts the most was how he’d tilt his head and smile.

“He loved playing hide-and-seek behind his mum’s back and would giggle with delight every time he found her.

“He had already started making the sounds for “Mama” and “Papa”, often saying “babababababa” and “mamamamama.

“But we felt he still needed a little more time to fully understand that ‘babababababa’ meant dad and ‘mamamamama’ meant mum.

“We thought he’d surely make that connection within the next couple of months.

“Sadly, that chance will never come.”

Riley will be laid to rest at a funeral in Wynnum on Tuesday.