Gold Coast dog attack fatal on Christmas Eve: Tributes for ‘Manny’

‘His love for his son was immeasurable’: A single dad has been left devastated after a dog killed his son on Christmas Eve. READ THE TRIBUTES

Tributes have poured in for a five-year-old boy who was killed by a dog on Christmas Eve, with family friends describing him as a “treasure” and much loved son.

The boy was attacked by the dog at a Varsity Lakes property he was staying at for Christmas with his grandmother.

Despite the frantic efforts of his grandmother and a neighbour who jumped a backyard fence to help, the boy died on the operating table in hospital just hours before Christmas.

Five-year-old Emmanuel, or Manny, has been remembered as a much-loved son to single dad Angus, whose friends have set up a fundraising page to cover the funeral expenses.

“(Angus) is very dedicated to providing the best for his little bud. Manny was Angus’s world,” friend Craig Kavanagh said.

“His love for his son was immeasurable. We are trying to raise funds to help Angus in this tragically difficult time.

“Manny was a treasure and what has happened has left a lot of people in shock and sadness.”

A Queensland Ambulance spokesman said the boy had been bitten on his back and neck before going into cardiac arrest.

Gold Coast City Council animal control officers seized two dogs from the property, including an English bull terrier-American bulldog cross believed to be responsible for the attack.

The dog remains in a council pound as investigations continue into the horrific tragedy.

It is understood the boy had been in the backyard early Friday afternoon when the dog suddenly turned on him, attacking his back and neck.

Paramedics administered an emergency blood transfusion before he was rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital where doctors spent several hours operating on the boy in surgery but he could not be saved.

It came just a week before new dog laws come into effect.

The boy’s grandmother was also treated for shock and minor cuts and scratches to her upper body, sustained when she tried in vain to save the boy from the animal.

Neighbours reportedly came running to her aid after hearing the incident unfold.

To donate to the family, visit here.

Tributes for Manny from Gold Coast Bulletin readers:

Robyn Jordan: RIP little man and sincere condolences to the Grandmother and family.

Craig McMahon: RIP young man and condolences to the family.

Shez Landers-McDonald: RIP little one.

Dale Turner: My heart goes out to the family at this very sad time. RIP

Anne Orman: Rip and condolences

Kerri Vandenberg: Totally devastating. My heart goes out to the family.

Man hurt in heavy fall at industrial worksite

December 22, 2021

A man has been rushed to hospital with a critical care paramedic escort after taking a heavy fall at a Gold Coast industrial workplace.

Paramedics were called to the Rudman Parade site in Burleigh Heads about 11.15am Wednesday after a worker fell about three metres either from a wall or down an embankment.

The spokesman said the man, aged in his 40s, sustained both hip and facial injuries.

He was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition.

Boy, 12, in stolen car crash still in hospital

December 7, 2021

THE young boy suspected of driving a stolen car when it crashed and burst into flames remains in hospital, as police continue to investigate the near-deadly joy ride.

Five youths – aged from 12 to 14 – were in a stolen Nissan X-Trail when it clipped a truck on the M1 at Gaven and crashed in the early hours of Tuesday, December 7.

The suspected driver, a 12-year-old boy from Logan, suffered critical chest injuries and was placed in an induced coma. He remains in hospital but has been transferred from the Gold Coast. His condition is unknown. An off-duty nurse has been praised for administering lifesaving CPR to the boy on the side of the road.

The boy’s front-seat passenger also suffered serious injuries, while three teens in the back were taken to hospital for minor injuries. They have all been released from hospital, police have confirmed.

Police said no charges had been laid and investigations were ongoing.

The teens – from the Gold Coast and Logan areas – were known to police.

The vehicle had been stolen from Brian Maisey, 74, of Palm Beach, who “screamed” when he found out his car had been involved in the serious crash.

“ … What really got me, the way they said it, I thought they were dead. I just screamed ‘four kids’. It’s very hard,” he told the Bulletin this month.

Mr Maisey was recovering from surgery at a friend’s house when the vehicle was stolen, and only became aware it was missing when police told him it had been involved in a fuel-drive off at Logan at 3.30am December 6.

Speaking after the crash, Detective Inspector Chris Ahearn said: “The young man now has serious injuries and not only that but he posed a real risk to other road users.”

‘It was unbelievable’

THE owner of a car stolen from Palm Beach said he “screamed” when he found out it had been involved in a horror accident in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Brian Maisey, 74, said he was still “trying to get his head around” the shocking events, which left a 12-year-old boy fighting for his life in hospital and four other children injured.

The five were travelling in Mr Maisey’s car when it clipped the back of a truck and smashed into a barrier on the M1 at Gaven.

“It was unbelievable,” an emotional Mr Maisey told the Bulletin. “(Girlfriend) Martha said, ‘did you hear about this crash’. Never for one minute did I think it was my car.

“And there was kids in it. I couldn’t believe it.

“ … What really got me, the way they said it, I thought they were dead. I just screamed, ‘four kids!’ It’s very hard.”

Mr Maisey, who recently underwent major surgery at Gold Coast University Hospital, was recuperating at the home of a friend in Robina when his car was stolen.

He said he did not know his Nissan X-Trail was gone until he received a text from police informing him it had been involved in a fuel drive-off, which took place in the Logan suburb of Bethania at 3.30am on Monday.

“I got a text message saying I’d done a runner at a station in Logan,” Mr Maisey said.

“That I hadn’t paid for fuel.

“This was on the Monday afternoon.

“That’s when I said to Martha, I’d better phone (neighbours) Tanya and Michael, check that my car’s there.

“Michael said: ‘Your car’s not there, I thought you must have come up here and picked it up.’

“That’s when we realised it must have been stolen.”

Daughter Sue Gant said the incident had a major affect on her father, who did not have comprehensive insurance and has now been left without a vehicle.

A GoFundMe account has been started to help Mr Maidey replace his car, which he uses to visit local shops and the Tugun Bowls Club.

“It’s taken a toll on him,’ she said. “They don’t have the right to take his independence away, and that’s what these kids have done.”

Mr Maisey said he had lived for 30 years on acreage at Narangba without incident. He was at a loss to understand how 12 and 14-year-olds had stolen his car.

“I’ve never known anything like it in my life,” he said.

“I know these things go on. You hear about all these things, and never think it’s on your own street.

“ … I’ve got a bit of dementia. I’ve got a few things going on. And all this coming on me, coming after the operation. It’s too much.

“I said to Sue, it’s put me in a bloody home, it has. I can’t handle it any more.”

The crash involving Mr Maisey’s car was the latest in a string of incidents involving vehicles stolen from Palm Beach by juvenile offenders.

In October, the Bulletin reported that 15 cars had been stolen from the area in just a two-week period.

Sources told the Bulletin the youths involved in the theft of Mr Maisey’s car were well known to police officers.

>> TO HELP MR MAISEY, CLICK HERE

OFF-DUTY NURSE’S ‘LIFE SAVING CPR’

Earlier: An off-duty nurse has been praised for saving the life of a boy, 12, who suffered critical injuries when an alleged stolen car full of youths crashed on the M1 on the Gold Coast.

Police believe the gold Nissan X-Trail SUV occupied by the group of juveniles “clipped the back of a truck”, lost control, hit a left hand barrier and caught fire while travelling north on the Pacific Motorway at Gaven about 1.30am on Tuesday.

Five youths aged between 12-14 were injured – most seriously, the 12-year-old boy, who suffered critical chest injuries and was placed in an induced coma.

The truck driver, who was not injured, was not aware of the crash until he spotted damage to the side of his vehicle further down the M1, at which time the 59-year-old rang police.

Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) senior operations supervisor Adam Flory said paramedics arrived and found a “car load of children and teenage kids” and “an off-duty nurse on scene from Robina Hospital administering life saving CPR to one of the children”.

“As a result of that, that child was placed in an induced coma on scene by our High Acuity Response (Unit) paramedics and transported in a critical condition to Gold Coast University Hospital,” he said.

Mr Flory said the nurse’s efforts “would have been critical to the survival of that child in getting him to hospital in a condition where they could administer further care”.

“In situations like this morning it can be pivotal in saving someone’s life,” he said.

Mr Flory described the scene when emergency services arrived as “confronting and chaotic”.

“It was very traumatic, especially with children involved,” he said.

QAS stated critical care and high acuity paramedics attended “following reports of a vehicle crashing into a wall”.

“Five patients were treated at the scene and all transported to Gold Coast University (Hospital),” the statement read.

As well as the boy, 12, paramedics also treated a girl in her teens with chest injuries, who was in a serious condition, and a boy in his teens with facial and suspected spinal injuries, who was in a serious but stable condition.

Additionally, paramedics helped a boy in his teens with shoulder and facial injuries, who was in a stable condition, and a girl in her teens with neck and back pain, who was also in a stable condition.

The Queensland Police Forensic Crash Unit has been investigating.

“Initial information indicates the car was heading northbound when just north of Smith St it allegedly clipped the back of a truck, lost control, hit a barrier and caught fire,” a statement read.

“Police will allege five juveniles on board, two 14-year-old girls and three boys aged 12, 13 and 14 were injured. The 12-year-old boy and one of the 14-year-old girls were transported to Gold Coast University Hospital with serious injuries.

“The crashed vehicle was allegedly stolen from Palm Beach yesterday (Monday) afternoon.”

Detective Inspector Chris Ahearn said an off-duty officer drove by the scene and was able to get the teens out of the burning car, with the help of other motorists who had been passing by.

“It was very confronting, especially because these are young people,” he said.

“It’s heartening knowing passing motorists were able to pull over and stop.

“It was evident the vehicle had caught fire and that brings with it it’s own dangers if you’re trapped.

“They were pretty instrumental in extricating those young people from the vehicle.”

Insp Ahearn said police had not been able to speak to the injured teens.

Police have urged witnesses, or anyone with dashcam footage, to phone Policelink on 131 444.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said firefighters moved a vehicle from the road, but were not required to extinguish a fire.

Follow @LukeWMortimer

Originally published as Gold Coast dog attack fatal on Christmas Eve: Tributes for ‘Manny’