Girl, 3, crushed to death by stone war memorial in Taree
UPDATE: THE heartbroken grandmother of three-year-old girl, Indy Henderson, who was crushed to death by a war memorial on Saturday said her family was “shattered”.
NSW
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THE heartbroken grandmother of the three-year-old girl crushed to death by a war memorial on Saturday said her family was “shattered” and the monument “should never have been in such a state”.
Indy Henderson from Campbelltown died when the sandstone block inscribed with “Lest We forget” tipped over at the Blackhead Bowling Club, near Taree about 7.20pm.
The horror unfolded in front her mother Tamica Harrower and grandmother Shiralee Walker, who was celebrating her 50th birthday with 80 family and friends.
“Four people lifted it off my granddaughter, my daughter pulled her out of the monument and passed her to me, she was unconscious,” Ms Walker said.
“Were both very hysterical, I went into a major panic attack and collapsed.
“She’s devastated and shattered by what’s occurred.”
She said her gorgeous granddaughter was a vivacious girl who “lit up the room”.
“She was an absolutely large personality, bubbly happy strong-willed, cheeky and independent,” Ms Walker said.
She said she would wait for the outcome of a coroner’s investigation before concluding who was to blame but said the tragedy should never have occurred.
“If you got monument that weight and a child can push it over that’s a serious problem,” she said.
“There needs to be something put in place where this would never occur to another family, we would not wish this on anybody.”
It is believed Indy was standing next to the monument when it fell.
“Some of the children from the party were playing out the front of the club and police are investigating the circumstances as what happened,” Manning Great Lakes Superintendent Peter Thurtell said.
The child was taken to Manning Rural Referral Hospital, but later died from her injuries
It is understood children may have been climbing atop the statue and was “riding” it when it collapsed.
The stone monument, dedicated in 1997 and which sits metres from the bowling green at the front of the club, has become a makeshift shrine with locals leaving floral tributes.
Police from Manning Great Lakes LAC have passed on sympathies and condolences to the family.
A local man, Rod Dayment heard the screams on Saturday night.
He and another family member, Holly, paid their respects to the little girl and her family by leaving flowers at the memorial.
“I was 36 years in the police and losing a child is the worst.”
Manning Great Lakes Superintendent Peter Thurtell said from his understanding children had been playing on the monument when it fell on the little girl.
“Some of the children from the party were playing out the front of the club and police are investigating the circumstances as what happened,” Supt Thurtell said.
“The family had been visiting from Sydney to the area for the party … in your wildest dreams you couldn’t think anything like this happening.
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