‘Tragic’: Neighbours recall harrowing scenes after baby dies at daycare centre in Skye, Melbourne

New details have been revealed about the moment screams and sirens filled a usually quiet street after a baby’s death at daycare.

A neighbour has recalled the harrowing moment screams and sirens filled their usually quiet street after a baby’s death at a daycare centre.

The tragedy drew a large police presence to the facility on Balinga Drive at Skye, about 48km from the Melbourne CBD, on Wednesday afternoon.

A baby died at a family-run daycare centre in Skye, in Melbourne’s southeast, on Wednesday. Picture: NewsWire / Aaron Francis

One nearby resident and a mother of two began to cry as she described a woman – believed to have been a relative of the baby – arriving at the scene.

“I saw (her) on the street and she didn’t know what to say,” she said.

“(She) and another man were screaming … it was so sad.”

The resident said Balinga Drive was typically a quiet street, so the shouts and emergency service sirens came as a shock to neighbours.

She told NewsWire she had returned home from picking up her children when the incident unfolded and had been struggling to control her emotions since the tragedy.

“I didn’t want (my children) to know what happened because they might be afraid,” she said.

“It’s very sad, I don’t know how to explain it.

“I feel anxious and nervous and I don’t know how to talk to my children about it.”

Residents at the daycare centre told NewsWire on Thursday morning that the service owner was not available for comment.

A baby died at a daycare centre in Melbourne. Picture: 7News

Victoria Police said on Wednesday their investigation was ongoing but the baby’s death was not being treated as suspicious.

“Police will prepare a report for the coroner following the death of an infant at a family day care facility in Skye,” a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.

WorkSafe investigators responded “and will determine whether further action is required”.

Only a handful of early morning walkers were spotted on Balinga Drive on Thursday morning, with limited traffic on the residential street.

No emergency services were on scene as of Thursday morning.

A nearby resident, who was out walking her dog with her baby, described the baby’s death as a tragedy.

“It’s quite sickening,” she said.

“We thought it was an older lady, and when we found out it was a baby, it was just sickening.”

Neighbours have recalled hearing screams before emergency services arrived. Picture: Supplied

Police are not treating the baby’s death as suspicious. Picture: supplied

Another person said she first noticed something major had happened about 5.30pm on Wednesday.

“I came home from my walk and that’s when I found out about it,” she said.

“I didn’t even know it was a daycare centre.

“Neighbours told me what happened after my walk … it’s tragic.”

The community has rallied behind the daycare owner on social media.

“My boys used to go there. The family is extremely kind and caring and the house was very clean … This is devastating to hear,” one woman wrote.

“I can’t begin to imagine how they are feeling, along with the parents of the infant.”

Another Balinga Drive resident said it was “just heartbreaking”.

“My nephew attended there and they are so lovely,” she wrote.

It is understood the daycare operated from a private home and is listed as exceeding the National Quality Standard.

The tragedy comes just weeks after a baby was found dead inside a car outside a childcare centre in Sydney.