Casino girl Athena Blackburn, 3, in hospital after accidentally falling from window in northern NSW
A three-year-old girl from northern NSW remains in hospital after a shocking fall from a second-storey window. Her mum says the little girl will have to learn to walk, talk and eat again.
Regional News
Don't miss out on the headlines from Regional News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Northern NSW parents are living their worst nightmare after their three-year-old daughter fell from a second-storey window and suffered serious injuries.
Athena Blackburn’s horrific accident happened after her sister innocently went to a window to see if pizza was being delivered.
The little girl from Casino was placed in an induced coma for six days after she fractured her skull and suffered bleeding on her brain in the fall on November 4.
Athena also sustained spinal fractures from between her shoulder blades to her tailbone, as well as a collapsed lung and a partially collapsed lung, mum Stephanie Blackburn told The Northern Star.
Athena and her older sister Maci were excited when their mum ordered pizza for dinner.
Ms Blackburn said she drank milk and it upset her stomach because she is lactose intolerant.
She went to the bathroom and “told the girls to wait inside because sometimes they are cheeky and go outside when they are not supposed to”.
Ms Blackburn said the girls were looking through the window and Athena fell.
Maci fell back, but Athena plunged from the window onto the concrete below.
The mum-of-four said she heard the most “horrible sound” while in the bathroom, ran downstairs and found her daughter unconscious on the cement.
“I live near the hospital so I just scooped Athena up and ran,” she said.
“My baby was turning blue so I stopped and gave her CPR on the sidewalk.
“I had to stop because I was having an asthma attack so I sent my son Bentley ahead to the emergency department for help.”
A neighbour helped and the “next thing they knew” Ms Blackburn, Bentley and Athena were in an ambulance racing to the Gold Coast University Hospital.
The hospital has provided a bed by Athena’s side while Ms Blackburn and dad Robert Young have been keeping a close eye on her.
“Doctors sat us down and told us to prepare for the worst,” Ms Blackburn said.
Earlier, she posted on social media if her daughter’s brain scan was positive the couple would “get to wake her up for a little bit”.
“I love you my baby you are so strong,” Ms Blackburn wrote.
“Stronger than me and Daddy.
“I just need to hear you say mumma, I haven’t in days.”
Ms Blackburn said Athena was being scanned for potential brain damage after a small seizure.
“This scan is so important,” she said.
“It will tell us if Athena is still Athena and so much more that we don’t know yet. Please pray for her this scan goes perfectly.”
Athena is being monitored in a specialised room to stop infections and being weaned off an array of painkillers.
Ms Blackburn said hospital staff have “been incredible”.
“They have told me I hope I know she is a miracle because they didn’t think she would make it,” she said.
“But she’s strong, she’s a fighter.”
Ms Blackburn’s brother has been helping to care for her other children at his Brisbane home.
Doctors have confirmed Athena will need substantial rehabilitation once out of hospital.
“She has to learn to walk again, talk again, eat,” Ms Blackburn said.
“She wants to, she moves but it’s the connections in her brain that need to reconnect again.”
GoFundMe said in a statement it was working to ensure all funds from an online fundraiser set up by community members would go toward helping Athena.
“It’s not uncommon for a resident or a member of the community to start a fundraiser on behalf of another individual or family,” a spokesman said.
“All donations raised for Athena are being safely held while our Trust and Safety Team works to ensure the funds are transferred directly to the immediate family.”
Ms Blackburn said she believed the screen was not installed properly at her rental and she has been seeking legal advice.
Police allege drugs, guns, ammo linked to crime group
A man in his 60s has faced a Mid-North Coast court on a long list of drug and gun charges. Police allege they found an illicit haul linked to a criminal group.
Foundation serves up ‘little bit of hope’ in cost of living crisis
The founder of an Indigenous food program dishing out meals across the Northern Rivers says he’s keeping a promise to his grandfather to keep “feeding our people - not just with food, but with hope”.