A 5-month-old girl has tragically died at an Australian park after a magpie swooped down on her mother who was holding her —causing her to trip and fall.
Mia was killed in “an absolute tragic and sudden accident” at Glindemann Park at Holland Park in Brisbane this past weekend, according to family members via GoFundMe page.
“This horrible world dealt a blow no one could ever imagine,” they said. “Shattering everyone’s hearts, and crushing [her parents’] Jacob and Simone’s world in the blink of an eye where no day would ever be the same. No words can begin to describe the torture Jacob and Simone are going through.”
The Queensland Ambulance Service reported that Mia was being held in a baby carrier when a magpie swooped, causing her mother to trip and fall, according to the Brisbane Times. The child was then hospitalized in critical condition and eventually died of her injuries.
A spokesperson for the service said paramedics were quickly called to the park following “reports that a [mother] had fallen with a baby in her arms. [She was] reportedly ducking to avoid a magpie,” according to 9News Australia.
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Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner stated there would be a full investigation into the incident. Additionally, the magpie has been removed from the park.
“The loss of five-month-old Mia, in such tragic circumstances, is something that has shocked our community to the absolute core,” Schrinner wrote on Twitter. “This was a tragic accident that was impossible to predict but we will do whatever we can to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
Mia’s father Jacob divulged to the Daily Mail Australia how his daughter “brought joy to everyone’s lives with her infectious smile, her pure innocence and her adorable laugh.”
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“Our whole world has been taken from us and the pain we are experiencing is unimaginable,” he said. “We are so grateful for the most precious gift we ever received.”
Magpies are reported to aggressively swoop perceived threats to their nesting areas during the breeding season, which lasts from June to December. In addition, they are a protected species in Australia.
A website by the name of Magpie Alert tracks aggressive magpies in Australia and this year alone, they have reported 228 attacks and 25 injuries.
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