Baby Olivia Had Just Celebrated Her First Birthday in December
Note: This article discusses sensitive topics related to child safety.
A one-year-old girl tragically passed away after being accidentally left in a car for several hours during hot weather.
Baby Olivia Ancelet, from Australia, was left in the back seat of a vehicle as temperatures reached 86°F. Her father, Etienne Ancelet, later arrived at the daycare center at approximately 5:35 PM local time on February 4, where he discovered the heartbreaking incident.
Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding Olivia’s passing. Reports indicate that Ancelet had placed his daughter in the car with the intention of taking her to the Jelly Beings Early Learning Centre in Earlwood, a suburb of Sydney.
Emergency services were called to the daycare center after reports of a child being found unresponsive in a vehicle. Despite immediate efforts, Olivia was sadly pronounced deceased at the scene.
Believing he had already dropped her off, Ancelet only realized the devastating truth when he returned to the vehicle later in the day.
In an emotional statement to news.com.au, Ancelet and Olivia’s mother, Kim Visconti, expressed their profound grief, describing Olivia as “the light of our lives” and a “sweet and beautiful baby.”
“We are deeply grateful for the time we had with her. This is an unimaginable loss for our family,” they shared. “We do not wish this pain upon any parent. Olivia was cherished by everyone who knew her.”
Speaking to Sky News, Roy Gomes, a neighbor who tried to assist, recalled hearing desperate cries for help before attempting to provide first aid.
“My neighbor asked if I could hear the screaming, so I turned off my lawnmower,” Gomes explained. “When I arrived, I saw him holding his daughter, completely panicked.”
“We didn’t know what else to do, so we tried CPR, doing our best to help.”
In an interview with NewsWire, Gomes mentioned that neighbors attempted to cool Olivia’s body down as she was still very warm.
Gomes added: “[Ancelet] was screaming, poor guy, he kept screaming saying, ‘I’ve k!lled my daughter’.”
During a press conference on February 4, New South Wales Police Superintendent Christine McDonald emphasized the importance of child safety in vehicles.
“Leaving a child in a vehicle can be extremely dangerous, especially for an extended period,” she stated. “This is truly a tragic event.”
Authorities continue to investigate as the community mourns the loss of baby Olivia.
Source: unilad.com