Toddler found dead in car in Sydney’s inner west

A man was heard to yell “I killed my daughter” in the moments after discovering a toddler had been mistakenly left in the back seat of a car in Sydney’s inner west.

A man was heard to yell “I killed my daughter” in the moments after discovering a toddler had been mistakenly left in the back seat of a car in Sydney’s inner west.

Roy Gomes, who lives up the road from the childcare centre in Earlwood, was mowing his lawn when he heard screaming from down the street.

“I ran over and he was holding the baby,” Mr Gomes said.

“We took the baby off (him) and we tried CPR for about five minutes.”

He said the ambulance arrived within five minutes also.

Tragic scene.....neighbour Roy Gomes at Earlwood today

Police at the scene outside the childcare centre in Earlwood. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Mr Gomes said he believed the child had been accidentally left in the car all day.

“So the baby’s … been in the car all day, and then he’s parked in front of (the daycare),” he claimed.

“He’s got out to get the baby and they’ve said she didn’t come in today.”

And then “the penny has dropped that the baby is still in the car”.

“It’s just shattering,” he said.

After administering CPR while waiting for the ambulance, Mr Gomes said it was shocking, so much so, he “didn’t sleep much last night”.

“I could see the little baby’s face all night,” he said.

“It’s just something you do … all the neighbours were really good, they were pouring water on her … but there was no life.”

Forensic officers on the scene on Tuesday afternoon. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Police said the one-year-old was found dead outside a childcare centre in Marana Road, Earlwood about 5.35pm on Tuesday by a man - believed to be her father - who had the child in the car earlier on Tuesday morning but, it is understood, he mistakenly left her inside the vehicle for the entire day.

He then drove to multiple locations before returning home for several hours.

It wasn’t until the afternoon, when the relative arrived at the childcare centre for pickup, that a worker informed them the child had never been dropped off that morning.

Upon checking the car, the relative and childcare worker made the tragic discovery.

Another member of the public called emergency services to the childcare centre on Marana Rd, but paramedics were unable to revive the unresponsive child and declared her dead at the scene.

Speaking at a press conference at the scene on Tuesday night, Superintendent Christine McDonald said while detectives were still piecing together a timeline of events and the cause of death was unknown, police believed the child had been “left inside the vehicle for an extended period of time on a very hot day here in Sydney”.

“Leaving a child in a vehicle at any time can be dangerous,” she said.

“Leaving a child inside a vehicle for an extended period of time can be deadly.

“This is an absolute tragedy.”

Police have taped off most of the street. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Supt McDonald did not confirm whether the man who had discovered the child was the girl’s father, describing him only as a “direct relative”.

While police initially said he was “assisting with inquiries at Burwood Police Station”, Supt McDonald said he had been taken to hospital suffering from shock.

The child’s mother was also “assisting with inquiries” as police investigate the death on behalf of the coroner.

Supt McDonald said it was impossible to imagine how the child’s parents were feeling.

Police have taped off most of the street. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“No doubt the parents will be extremely upset,” she said.

“It’s something that affects the wider community as well … This has a rippling effect right throughout our community because so many of us can put ourselves in a similar situation.”

Police had earlier taped off most of the street, erecting a tent out the front of the childcare centre as detectives and uniformed officers combed through the scene.

A forensics van arrived just before 8pm to join three cop cars already at the scene.

Flowers laid where the child was found. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Early Wednesday morning, a woman was seen laying flowers outside the centre as detectives were allowed inside to speak with staff.

A staff member at the daycare centre did not answer questions from the media, however, she said the centre “has nothing to do with this”.

The Daily Telegraph has contacted the daycare centre for comment however, no statement has been made.

The death comes just two days after the second anniversary of the death of Arikh Hasan, who was left in a car for six hours on a 35C day.

The three-year-old’s father mistakenly thought he had dropped the boy off at daycare in Glenfield, in southwest Sydney, before driving to work that day.

Originally published as Toddler found dead in car in Sydney’s inner west