Mothers grief after Daughter drowns
Wednesday, 19th February 2003.
A MOTHER-of-eight yesterday told of the futile battle to save her daughter after the little girl fell in her grandmother's pond.
Despite her dad giving her the kiss of life, two-year-old Emily died in hospital leaving her family consumed by guilt and remorse.
Yesterday her mother, who asked not to be named, pleaded with parents never to let children out of their sight.
Emily Wilkinson was found by her parents in the goldfish pond at her grandmother's garden; just a stone's throw from the family home in Evergreen Lane, Great Bradley, near Haverhill.
Her distraught mum, aged in her 20s, said another of her eight children, Emily's older brother, a toddler, came racing into the kitchen as they cooked tea on Saturday night.
She said: "He was screaming 'Emily's in the pond, Emily's in the pond.' Me and Richard (her husband) ran over. We grabbed her and pulled her out onto the side.
"I ran next door as my mum wasn't in and dialled 999. Richard came over carrying her, and she was crying by this stage. Richard had given her mouth-to-mouth."
She said paramedics turned up and gave Emily oxygen until an ambulance arrived to take her to West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds.
But she added: "For some reason she just didn't perk up. I think her lung haemorrhaged. We thought we were bringing her home but that didn't happen."
The tragedy happened less than 50 yards from the family's terraced home, in the quiet cul-de-sac, and took just seconds.
Emily's mum fought back tears as she said: "We are all blaming each other at the moment. My mum feels terrible about what has happened. I would say to other parents, just keep an eye on your kids all the time. That's all you can do."
She said Emily had been due to celebrate her second birthday on Mother's Day and added: "There won't be a Mother's Day for me this year
Despite her dad giving her the kiss of life, two-year-old Emily died in hospital leaving her family consumed by guilt and remorse.
Yesterday her mother, who asked not to be named, pleaded with parents never to let children out of their sight.
Emily Wilkinson was found by her parents in the goldfish pond at her grandmother's garden; just a stone's throw from the family home in Evergreen Lane, Great Bradley, near Haverhill.
Her distraught mum, aged in her 20s, said another of her eight children, Emily's older brother, a toddler, came racing into the kitchen as they cooked tea on Saturday night.
She said: "He was screaming 'Emily's in the pond, Emily's in the pond.' Me and Richard (her husband) ran over. We grabbed her and pulled her out onto the side.
"I ran next door as my mum wasn't in and dialled 999. Richard came over carrying her, and she was crying by this stage. Richard had given her mouth-to-mouth."
She said paramedics turned up and gave Emily oxygen until an ambulance arrived to take her to West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds.
But she added: "For some reason she just didn't perk up. I think her lung haemorrhaged. We thought we were bringing her home but that didn't happen."
The tragedy happened less than 50 yards from the family's terraced home, in the quiet cul-de-sac, and took just seconds.
Emily's mum fought back tears as she said: "We are all blaming each other at the moment. My mum feels terrible about what has happened. I would say to other parents, just keep an eye on your kids all the time. That's all you can do."
She said Emily had been due to celebrate her second birthday on Mother's Day and added: "There won't be a Mother's Day for me this year
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