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Tragedy Strikes For Girl, 5, Who Was Crushed To Death By Falling Tree Branch While Playing In Park

By Angelica N. Sumter
Published on: 06:38 PST, Jul 23, 2015

The mother of a 5-year-old girl who was killed while playing at the park when a tree trunk fell on her head wants the “safety of children’s park equipment to be guaranteed,” according to the Daily Mirror.

On July 17, Alexia Walenkaki, who attended school at Stepney Greencoat Primary, was at the Mile End Park in east London with her 43-year-old mother, Vida Kwotuah, when the swing held by a tree branch collapsed, landing on her head.

“I sat where I could watch her every move. All of a sudden I see this log falling down and I started screaming,” said Vida. “Moments before she was on my lap, then she was lying in the recovery position with people doing CPR. I was in shock.”

“You think that parks are the safest place and then something like this happens,” Vida continued.

“They must ensure that the equipment is safe and regularly checked. That would put parents at ease.

If someone has to lock the park they need to check it daily.

I was watching her the whole time with my own eyes and I want to know how this happened.”

Alexia sustained severe head injuries from the tree accident that led to a cardiac arrest. Her mother immediately ran to her aide and made several attempts to revive her, but she remained unconscious.

“She was playing with three girls in the play area. Just a few minutes before it happened, she came and sat on my lap,” said Vida.

“She had a drink and I told her we were leaving in 15 minutes. She said ‘OK mummy’ and ran to the play area. She loved the park, we went five times a week.”

When paramedics arrived at the scene, she was rushed to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

“She was a happy, loving, sociable girl, very intelligent and very likeable. We shared a bed and I keep rolling over expecting to see her,” Vida added.

The tragic accident of Alexia being crushed to death by a falling tree has led police officials and the Health and Safety Executive to shut down the park while an investigation is underway.

[Image courtesy of Matt Cardy / Getty Images]

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