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Father and grandfather drown after rescuing toddler

<p>The father and grandfather of a two-year-old have tragically died after jumping into a hotel pool to save the toddler from drowning. </p> <p>On Easter Sunday evening, Dharmvir Singh, 38, and his 65-year-old father Gurjinder Singh drowned in the pool at the Top of the Mark Holiday Apartments in Surfer's Paradise when Dharmvir’s two-year-old child fell into the pool.</p> <p>The family members, who had travelled from Victoria to Queensland for their holiday, jumped in to save the two-year-old, although none of the family could swim. </p> <p>While the mother and child were both able to return to safety, Dharmvir and Gurjinder both died in the rescue.</p> <p>Emergency services were called to the Queensland hotel where the men were found unconscious, as paramedics performed CPR and attempted to revive the men but were unsuccessful. </p> <p>The mother and toddler were taken to hospital, and did not need any further treatment. </p> <p>Mitchell Ware from Queensland Ambulance Service said it was an “extremely emotional scene”.</p> <p>“Obviously, anyone could understand that not just to lose one family member but to lose two family members,” he said, according to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13258481/Top-Mark-Holiday-Apartments-Surfers-Paradise-drowning-Father-grandfather-killed-rescuing-toddler.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Daily Mail</em>.</a></p> <p>"I will just reiterate to the community to exercise due care, especially if you're not a strong swimmer, and especially if there's young children around, that you are really careful because we know that children and even adults can drown in a matter of seconds."</p> <p><em>Image credits: ABC</em></p>

Caring

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"Harper is my favourite Tilly": Matildas toddler steals the show

<p>In a heartwarming turn of events at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, the Matildas' post-game press conference took an unexpected twist when two-year-old Harper decided to steal the show.</p> <p>As her mother, Katrina Gorry, attempted to navigate the world of media interviews, young Harper had other plans, firmly establishing herself as the newest sensation in Australian football – or at least in press conference antics.</p> <p>With the Aussies securing their spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a resounding 10-0 victory over Uzbekistan, it seemed fitting that the youngest member of the team would make her mark in the spotlight. Sporting a yellow team jersey and adorned with Taylor Swift-esque friendship bracelets, little Harper made it clear that she was not to be ignored.</p> <p>As Alanna Kennedy patiently awaited her turn to address the media, Harper decided that the press conference desk was the perfect spot for her impromptu playdate. Refusing to budge, she left her mark by placing her bracelets on the table, much to the delight of amused onlookers.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C35D414PZxD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C35D414PZxD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by CommBank Matildas (@matildas)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Despite gentle prodding from her mother, Harper was determined to make her presence known. With a polite "bye bye" into the mic, she momentarily bid farewell before settling back down, much to the amusement of the room.</p> <p>Gorry, unable to contain her laughter, gracefully ushered her daughter away from the limelight, but not before receiving a wave and a cheerful "Byyyyeee" from the pint-sized press conference crasher.</p> <p>The Matildas, quick to embrace the adorable interruption, shared the sweet moment on social media, solidifying Harper's status as the unofficial mascot of the team. In a caption that perfectly captured the essence of the moment, they affectionately dubbed it "Crashing Lani's press conference," tagging Gorry for good measure.</p> <p>Fans took to the comments section to praise the Tilly Toddler, with one claiming "Harper is my favourite Tilly", and another declaring that "No offence, but I'd actually like to hear harpers press conference."</p> <p>As the Matildas look ahead to the Paris Olympics, one thing is for certain – they have a secret weapon in their midst, and her name is Harper.</p> <p>Images: Instagram</p>

Family & Pets

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Obese woman sparks debate for not giving up extra seat for toddler

<p>An obese woman has sparked debate online after refusing to give up the second seat she paid for to a fussy toddler. </p> <p>The 34-year-old booked the two seats for her cross-country flight to visit her family for Christmas because she was previously unable to comfortably fit in one seat. </p> <p>All was well until the young woman next to her demanded that she "squeeze into one seat" so her son could sit on the other. </p> <p>"I am obese," she admitted on the Reddit thread. "I'm actively working toward losing weight and I've made progress - but I booked an extra seat because I'm fat."</p> <p>She added that she insisted on keeping her seat because she paid for it, but the mum "made a big fuss over it, and she told the flight attendant I was stealing the seat from her son." </p> <p>"Then I showed her my boarding passes, proving that I paid for the extra seat. The flight attendant asked me if I could try to squeeze in, but I said no, that I wanted the extra seat I paid for."</p> <p>The woman claimed that the toddler was only 18 months old, so he didn't need his own seat and could've sat on his mum's lap for the duration of the flight. </p> <p>"I got dirty looks and passive-aggressive remarks from her for the entire flight and I do feel a little bad because the boy looked hard to control - but am I in the wrong?" she asked other social media users. </p> <p>Many shared their overwhelming support for the woman and slammed the mum and flight attendant for their "horrific" behaviour. </p> <p>"The mum is an a**hole for not buying a seat for her son and assuming someone else would give up a seat they paid for. Odds are she was hoping there'd be extra seats on the flight so she didn't have to pay and used the lap thing as a loophole," one commented. </p> <p>"What's even the point of the extra seat if the flight attendants are going to let entitled people bully others into giving it up?" another added. </p> <p>"People buy entire seats for high-end musical equipment. Not even people. Their lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on your part," a third wrote. </p> <p>However, there were a few others that said the woman was in the wrong for causing an inconvenience. </p> <p>"If you are so fat that you have to have more than one seat on an airplane then you are selfish," one said. </p> <p>"Flights overbook all the time especially during the holidays - how can you justify having two seats to yourself?" </p> <p>"How much room does a kid take up, seriously? Yeah the mum should've bought a seat but that doesn't mean you have to be selfish and cause two people discomfort," another commented. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

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Princess Beatrice's husband shares sweet new photo of toddler

<p>Princess Beatrice's daughter Sienna Elizabeth is two years old! </p> <p>The young royal's proud dad, Edoardo Mapello Mozzi, took to Instagram to share an unseen photo of her in celebration of her birthday. </p> <p>"Happy Birthday Baby Girl. You bring us so much love and joy every day," he captioned with three pink love hearts. </p> <p>Sienna was pictured walking along a garden in a floral dress with a sombrero, which delighted a few Mexican fans. </p> <p>"Que foto más bella!! Con su sombrero mexicano! HERMOSA!! ❤️😍," wrote one fan, which rougly translates to: "What a beautiful picture!! Rocking her Mexican hat! Gorgeous!!" </p> <p>Another commented: "So cute!!!! As a Mexican I feel so happy to see her with a traditional Mexican hat!" </p> <p>Many other fans also took to the comments to share their birthday wishes for Sienna. </p> <p>"Happy birthday sweet Sienna! As stylish as mummy already!" wrote one fan. </p> <p>"Happy birthday little Sienna 😍❤️" wrote another. </p> <p>"Happy Birthday to your sweet baby girl! 🎂" commented a third. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CxU4yIMoEWC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CxU4yIMoEWC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Edo Mapelli Mozzi (@edomapellimozzi)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The couple tied the knot in July 2020, and had a small wedding due to the pandemic, before welcoming their first child together a year later on September 18 2021. </p> <p>Edoardo, who is a descendent of Italian nobility, also has a son, Christopher Woolf (known as “Wolfie”), from a previous relationship. </p> <p>When the couple first announced Sienna's birth, they also shared that Wolfie was getting along well with his younger sister. </p> <p>"We are all doing well and Wolfie is the best big brother to Sienna," the Princess wrote in a tweet. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Kyle Sandilands' toddler's jaw-dropping wealth

<p>Kyle Sandilands has revealed the shocking bank balance his one-year-old son Otto has, an amount that most dream of having. </p> <p>The radio shock jock revealed his son's staggering wealth on the <em>The Kyle &amp; Jackie O Show </em>on Thursday morning, confessing that Otto's wealth will one day eclipse his. </p> <p>“Otto's already been loaded up by his great-grandfather,” he said, revealing that his wife Tegan’s “wealthy” grandfather had set up a bank account for Otto on his first birthday. </p> <p>"My child's already a millionaire. He's already got $1,000,000 in his bank."</p> <p>The radio host told co-star Jackie O that he was jealous of his son. </p> <p>“He’s not even one, what an a**hole. I'm jealous of my own kid.”</p> <p>Although Sandilands himself has a reported net worth of $40 million, making a rumoured $40,000 every morning on<em> The Kyle &amp; Jackie O Show, </em>he has hinted that his wife is wealthier.  </p> <p>This comes just one month after the radio host revealed that the couple splurged $25,000 on their son's<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/inside-kyle-sandilands-son-otto-s-first-birthday-party" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> first birthday</a>. </p> <p>The pair are known for their lavish way of living, after they tied the knot in a $1 million <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/kyle-sandilands-lets-slip-insane-cost-of-wedding-so-far" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wedding</a> earlier this year, followed by a $500,000 <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/the-astronomical-price-of-kyle-sandilands-honeymoon-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">honeymoon</a>. </p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Hero tradie’s daring move saves toddler who wandered onto busy street

<p>In an awe-inspiring act of bravery that will leave you breathless, shocking <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/tradie-scary-move-save-child-095600259.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dash cam footage</a> has captured a heart-pounding moment that will forever be etched in the annals of heroism. </p> <p>Laurie Owens, a true guardian angel who fearlessly soared into action on the Salisbury Highway in Adelaide, embarked on a heart-stopping mission to save a young child's life, giving no thought to his own safety or that of his vehicle</p> <p>It was just another day for working tradie Laurie Owens as he navigated the bustling roadways. But with eagle eyes and a heart tuned to protect, Laurie spotted a young boy, still adorned in his nappy, wandering innocently into the treacherous path of oncoming vehicles on a busy highway.</p> <p>In a surge of adrenalin-fuelled heroism, Owens sprang into action as – u<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">ndeterred by the imminent danger, he gallantly mounted the median strip and fearlessly directed his own vehicle into the path of the charging traffic, all in an effort to shield the toddler from harm's way. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">His words echo with undying determination: "I'd rather take the damage of a car running into me because I'm safe rather than the child be killed because what protection do they have?" he told 9News. </span></p> <p>In a dazzling display of divine intervention, the unsuspecting little boy, named Aaryan, instinctively turned and bolted towards the safety of his family driveway, under the watchful gaze of Owens.</p> <p>Owens then gathered the child in his arms, poised to reunite him with his worried parents, who confirmed that Aaryan was indeed their precious child. The driveway gates had been left ajar, allowing the child, who grapples with autism, to embark on an unplanned adventure onto the perilous road.</p> <p>In the tearful aftermath, Aaryan's mother, overwhelmed with gratitude, expressed her deepest appreciation, declaring, "Thank you, I'm really grateful that [he] saved my child."</p> <p>For Owens, the humble champion of this heart-stopping saga, the joy of knowing that the little boy made it home safely was an immeasurable reward. Bursting with pride, he triumphantly proclaimed, "I've saved a kid's life. He's got a future now!"</p> <p><em>Images: 9 News</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Parents' grim warning after losing 3-year-old to flu

<p>Doctors have issued a crucial warning for parents after a healthy and happy Perth toddler became the youngest person in Western Australia to die from the flu in 2023.</p> <p>Muhammed Saadiq Segaff is being remembered as a cheerful but cheeky boy after dying from a strain of the flu virus, influenza A.</p> <p>The three-year-old’s health rapidly declined at Fiona Stanley Hospital, located about 16km from the state's capital, where the toddler went from having difficulty breathing to cardiac arrest.</p> <p>As a result, he underwent open heart surgery before being transported to Perth’s Children's Hospital where doctors and nurses had to use a machine to keep Muhammed’s blood pumping during the transfer.</p> <p>Yet despite their best efforts, they couldn’t save his life, with his parents making the painful decision to turn off his life support on May 26 after his family flew in from Singapore to say their goodbyes.</p> <p>Although influenza is a common virus, it can be fatal in high risk groups as it attacks the lungs, nose and throat.</p> <p>Typical symptoms include chills, fever, fatigue, headaches and muscle aches, with most fit and healthy people able to recover without seeing a doctor.</p> <p>However, young children, senior adults, unhealthy adults and pregnant women have an increased chance of contracting more severe cases due to being immunocompromised.</p> <p>Doctors advise getting a flu shot annually, but statistics are showing that the uptake of flu vaccines in WA in 2023 is slower than usual.</p> <p>“We have a significant and effective prevention strategy for flu, it’s a flu vaccine,” Perth Children’s Hospital infectious diseases specialist Chris Blyth told <em>7News</em>.</p> <p>Despite the chilling warning, less than 14 per cent of children under five have gotten the vaccination in WA, with a slimmer figure for those aged between five and 15 years old.</p> <p>Dr Blyth said about 10 per cent of children who are admitted to hospital with the flu require intensive care.</p> <p>Parents are advised to monitor children for unusual symptoms associated with the flu, such as breathlessness and fast breathing, which Dr Blyth warned could impact the heart.</p> <p>“Confusion or drowsiness is another important sign. Both of those things would make me want to seek medical advice,” he said.</p> <p>“In the middle of winter, our hospitals are full of people with respiratory illnesses but if parents think their child is much sicker than they normally are they should be seeking advice.”</p> <p>Muhammed’s parents hope that by sharing their son’s heartbreaking story, more parents will consider vaccinating their children against the flu annually.</p> <p>“No parents want this to happen to their own children,” Muhammed’s mother Shikin Hasnawi told <em>7News</em>.</p> <p>“We just miss him so much,” his father Segaff Sinin said.</p> <p>The WA government has extended its free flu vaccine rollout to children and seniors until the end of June in an attempt to encourage further uptake of the shot.</p> <p><em>Image credit: 7 News Perth</em></p>

Caring

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Crackdown on vapes after state records shocking number of toddlers smoking

<p dir="ltr">Victoria has recorded an alarming number of toddlers ingesting nicotine from vapes.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the last year, Health Minister Mark Butler said that 50 children under four were recorded vaping, and that it is now the biggest behavioural issue in primary schools across the country.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Victorian poisons hotline has reported that in the last 12 months, more than 50 children under the age of four have had to be reported to the hotline because of the dangerous ingestion of nicotine,” Butler told <em>ABC Radio</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is now the biggest behavioural issue in primary schools,” he added.</p> <p dir="ltr">Health ministers across the country are looking for ways to implement greater import and enforcement controls after the use of vapes has exploded in recent years, despite current regulations.</p> <p dir="ltr">Last year, a new rule was enforced where nicotine vapes were only available with a prescription. However a black market has emerged, and this market primarily targets children.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is an industry shamelessly marketing, not just to teenagers but to young children. When you look at these things, pink unicorns and bubblegum flavours aren’t marketed to adults,” Butler said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Health Minister also added that the multi-million dollar industry is threatening to undo all the hard work dedicated to phase out smoking.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is an industry that is trying to create a new generation of nicotine addicts so they get around all of the hard work our country and other countries have done over recent decades to stamp out smoking,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Butler used the example of a “very young” child who had been found with an “insidious” vape in her pencil case, in an attempt to disguise it as a highlighter.</p> <p dir="ltr">Earlier this month footage of an <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/jail-them-fury-after-baby-forced-to-vape-while-family-laughs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">11-month-old baby boy smoking a vape</a> went viral, when the distressed child was seen struggling for air as his teenage mother laughed at him.</p> <p dir="ltr">Butler said that when it comes to cracking down on the industry, “all options were on the table,” including better import and sales control.</p> <p dir="ltr">Butler refuses to normalise e-cigarettes, something that has been proposed by David Littleproud, the leader of the Nationals party.</p> <p dir="ltr">Butler said: “We can’t just say oh, well, it’s all too hard, let’s just normalise it because we know why these products exist”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“These products are pushed so hard by the tobacco industry because they want to create a pathway back to cigarettes.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Butler also cited research that showed that those who vape are three times as likely to take up cigarettes.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty, Facebook</em></p>

Caring

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Mum slammed for cruel cling wrap ‘prank’

<p><strong><em>Warning: This article contains disturbing content which some readers may find distressing. </em></strong></p> <p>Tiktok influencer Savannah Glembin and her husband have come under fire for their decision to wrap their distressed toddler’s entire torso in cling wrap. </p> <p>In the now deleted video, the couple can be seen taking a concerning approach to discipline with their “stubborn” child. While Enya’s ‘Only Time’ plays in the background, Savannah’s husband Hank is standing behind their son, Gunner, as the toddler perches on a bed, his arms trapped against his sides in layers of cling wrap.</p> <p>“Grumpy toddler all day?” Savannah can be heard asking her audience, while over the video the text “this is the only way” is displayed. </p> <p>The family’s dog appears, before Hank lays Gunner on the bed, facedown, and states that “he’s a worm”. Gunner, then on his back, cries as he rolls to his side, unable to move any further. </p> <p>Although Savannah removed the incident from her feed, many accounts stitched the original video (the TikTok equivalent of a repost with additional commentary) beforehand. One user, known on the app as Aunt Karen, offered a trigger warning at the beginning of hers, stating that “this feels like abuse.”</p> <div class="element-embed clear-both" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; text-align: center; margin-bottom: 20px; color: #333333; font-family: roboto_regular, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; background-color: #ffffff;"> <blockquote id="v13272776541841646" class="tiktok-embed" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; width: 605px; margin: 18px auto; line-height: 1.15; overflow: hidden; text-size-adjust: 100%; font-family: proxima-regular, PingFangSC, sans-serif; max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@auntkaren0/video/7207105964476992811" data-video-id="7207105964476992811"><p><iframe style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: initial; border-style: none; max-width: 100%; width: 605px; height: 740px; display: block; visibility: unset; max-height: 740px; margin-left: auto !important; margin-right: auto !important;" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7207105964476992811?lang=en-GB&amp;referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tvanouvelles.ca%2F2023%2F03%2F07%2Fune-video-tiktok-seme-lindignation-alors-quun-bambin-est-la-proie-du-jeu-lugubre-de-son-pere" name="__tt_embed__v13272776541841646" sandbox="allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-scripts allow-top-navigation allow-same-origin"></iframe></p></blockquote> </div> <div id="magnite_outstream" class="splitbox-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: roboto_regular, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; background-color: #ffffff;"></div> <div id="fsk_splitbox_992_onscreen" class="fsk_splitbox_992_onscreen" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; color: #333333; font-family: roboto_regular, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; background-color: #ffffff;"> <div id="fsk_splitbox_992" class=" fsk_splitbox_992" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 603px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; height: 0px; text-align: center;"><iframe id="fsk_frame_splitbox" style="box-sizing: border-box; width: 602.998px; height: 0px; border-width: initial; border-style: none; margin: 0px;" name="fsk_frame_splitbox" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> </div> <p>"I don't see what's funny here,” Aunt Karen concludes. “I don't understand how putting your toddler in an uncomfortable position is funny and then posting it for views. </p> <p>“Not only did you not just do this for your own entertainment, you thought this was going to be everybody's entertainment. </p> <p>"This is why I don't like family channels like this, because they will go to any length for views."</p> <p>People from all around the world were in agreement, outraged at the treatment of the toddler. </p> <p>The uproar grew so loud that child protective services in the US - where the family reside - got involved, and Savannah was forced to post a tearful ‘apology’ to her account.</p> <p>“I made the biggest mistake of my life posting this video. Genuinely and truly he was laughing and smiling and was out of the plastic in under five minutes,” she said. Many were quick to point out that while Savannah had apologised for posting the content, she hadn’t actually owned up to what they’d done to their son. </p> <p>“Right now, we're dealing with a situation where Gunner has been taken from us until CPR can evaluate our home,” Savannah told followers in another video, “because I posted a video of my husband and son playing."</p> <p>Savannah insisted that her son was not upset, despite his distressed demeanour in the original post. </p> <p>"That video was skewed in a way [and led to] people thinking we were abusing our child,” she said. “But he was laughing and smiling and it was just a funny thing Hank did because Gunner was getting into the stove that day and tried putting a fork in a socket.</p> <p>"Hank playfully wrapped him in cling wrap, he had room to move, he looked like a little cucumber. At no point was he in distress or crying.</p> <p>"We would never hurt our son. He is the best thing that's ever happened to us.”</p> <p>Savannah noted that they hadn’t expected the response their video received, and claimed that they hadn’t realised anyone felt negatively “until yesterday when cops showed up and our door and separated us, his family.”</p> <p>"We made a mistake,” Savannah concluded, “and we don't deserve our child taken away because of it."</p> <p>Gunner has since been returned to the couple, with Savannah captioning yet another TikTok update “home where he belongs”.</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

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Police smash window to rescue two toddlers left in locked car

<p>NSW Police officers were forced to take drastic action in a hot northern Sydney carpark and smash a car’s windows to rescue the two young children trapped inside.</p> <p>The officers were alerted to the potential danger by concerned shoppers who believed they had spotted a child in the silver Honda. Upon arrival, however, the police, firefighters, and paramedics on scene were shocked to discover that there were actually two children trapped in there - one aged one, the other four. </p> <p>After first trying to unlock the car and proving “unsuccessful” in their efforts, as NSW Police later announced in a statement, officers were forced to break the vehicle’s window to get inside and access the children. </p> <p>The pair were reportedly in their carseats, waiting for their mother to return. She did - as police were already well into their rescue. </p> <p>"A woman returned to the vehicle a short time later and was spoken to by police," the statement by NSW Police read. "Inquiries continue."</p> <p>The entire incident was caught on camera and quickly uploaded to social media, with many strong opinions coming to the surface in the wake of the near miss. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Two young children have been freed from a locked car in a Sydney shopping centre carpark, with emergency services' rescue efforts captured on film | <a href="https://twitter.com/nswpolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nswpolice</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/FRNSW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FRNSW</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NRMA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NRMA</a> <a href="https://t.co/L2Ha1EhipX">pic.twitter.com/L2Ha1EhipX</a></p> <p>— 10 News First Sydney (@10NewsFirstSyd) <a href="https://twitter.com/10NewsFirstSyd/status/1630068785599184898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>“The toddlers' mother reportedly returned to the car in a distressed state as the scene unfolded,” <em>10News</em> tweeted. “Paramedics assessed the boy and girl at the scene, with neither requiring significant medical attention.”</p> <p>“Hopefully she was charged,” replied one woman. </p> <p>“Why are parents still doing this?” questioned another. </p> <p>And while many called for the mother to be charged for her actions, some were not so quick to condemn her, instead suggesting that the situation was blown out of proportion.</p> <p>“In a ventilated garage ... not in the open sun. Turns out the kids were fine ... if not traumatised by the police actions that saw windows being smashed and glass splinters flying everywhere,” complained one. “Nothing like an overreaction on a slow news day!”</p> <p>“Underground carpark, 26 deg (max) outside, no treatment required,” agreed another. “Yeah, not ideal but really no danger, yeah? Couldn't the NRMA guy get in less dramatically?”</p> <p>While the act may seem unnecessary to some, after the recent tragedy that saw a three-year-old boy lose his life when left inside a blisteringly hot car, to many it was the right move to prioritise the children. </p> <p>Of the latest incident, NRMA’s Peter Khoury told <em>Yahoo News Australia</em> about the number of children being left in cars, and how they consider it to be “alarming”. </p> <p>"January this year we rescued 213 children, it was the highest month in five years," he explained. "And 2022 was the highest in 10 years considering both children and pets [4267]."</p> <p>"The overwhelming majority of those cases are accidental where people lock their keys in the car with their child and call us frantically."</p> <p>He went on to explain that there are a few possible reasons for the increase in cases. One being that perhaps the Covid-19 pandemic had people preferring to keep children and pets in the car rather than risking exposure outside. And the other being the weather, with Khoury stating “we didn’t have a particularly hot 2022 and so because of that people thought 'well, it’s not hot, it's not an issue'. Whereas we tell people that regardless of the weather, it's not safe to leave children in vehicles.” </p> <p><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

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Obese yet malnourished toddler mummy sheds light on life in 17th century aristocratic Austria

<p>In a creepy discovery published, a collaboration of German scientists have performed a ‘virtual autopsy’ on a mummified toddler’s body, found in a 17th century Austrian crypt.</p> <p>Buried in a wooden coffin that was slightly too small and deformed the skull, the young child’s body appeared to be both obese and malnourished. Researchers say the findings might provide a rare insight into historical Austrian aristocratic society.</p> <p>By using CT scanning, scientists were able to perform a ‘virtual autopsy’ on the mummy which was naturally mummified in the conditions of the crypt. Well-preserved soft tissue showed the child was a boy, overweight for his age, and radiocarbon dating suggests a date of death between 1550 and 1635 CE.</p> <p>By examining the formation and length of the body’s bones, plus evidence of tooth eruption, the researchers were able to estimate that the child was about one year old when he died. The bones also showed that despite being well-fed, the boy was malnourished, with his malformed ribs displaying signs of rachitic rosary. This condition presents in a pattern of prominent bony knobs at points where the rib joins cartilage and results from diseases associated with specific vitamin deficiencies such as rickets (vitamin D) and scurvy (vitamin C).</p> <p>Vitamin D is found in foods like salmon, tuna, mackerel and beef liver and egg yolks, but we typically only get around 10% of our required Vitamin D from our diets – the rest is made by our bodies when exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) from the sun.</p> <p>“The combination of obesity along with a severe vitamin-deficiency can only be explained by a generally ‘good’ nutritional status along with an almost complete lack of sunlight exposure,” said Dr Andreas Nerlich of the Academic Clinic Munich-Bogenhausen and lead researcher.</p> <p>The child appears to have died from pneumonia, judging by the evidence of inflammation in the lungs. Rickets is known to make children more vulnerable to pneumonia, suggesting that, sadly, not only was the child malnourished, but that this condition may have also led to his untimely demise.</p> <p>“We have to reconsider the living conditions of high aristocratic infants of previous populations,” said Nerlich.</p> <p>Relatively little is known about aristocratic childhood in the late Renaissance period, so these mummified remains give key insights into life in Europe of a period generally known for its fervent creativity and intellectual development.</p> <p>“This is only one case,” said Nerlich, “but as we know that the early infant death rates generally were very high at that time, our observations may have considerable impact in the over-all life reconstruction of infants even in higher social classes.”</p> <p>To understand more about this period, researchers scoured historical records of the crypt and the family to whom the crypt belonged. Curiously, the child was buried in a simple, unmarked, wooden coffin, although he was dressed in an expensive silk hooded coat. The unmarked coffin appeared to have been slightly too small for the body such that the skull became deformed and was the only infant buried amongst the identifiable adult metal coffins in the crypt.</p> <p>Historical records of renovations on the crypt confirmed the radiocarbon dating, indicating the child was likely buried sometime after 1600 CE.</p> <p>The crypt belonged to the Counts of Starhemberg and traditionally was kept exclusively for the burial of heirs to their titles, and their wives, making the body likely to be that of the first-born (and only) son, Reichard Wilhelm, of Count Starhemberg.</p> <p>“We have no data on the fate of other infants of the family,” Nerlich said, regarding the unique burial. “According to our data, the infant was most probably [the count’s] first-born son after erection of the family crypt, so special care may have been applied.”</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/toddler-mummy-17thcentury-austria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Clare Kenyon. </strong></p> <p><em>Image: </em><em>Andreas et al. (2022)</em></p>

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Aussie toddler's heart-breaking reaction to father's death

<p>The father-in-law of a man who died in NSW floodwaters has opened up about the devastating toll their loss has had on his 19-month-old son. </p> <p>“My gorgeous grandson keeps asking for his dad,” Simon Moujalli wrote on a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/sarah-and-little-isaiah" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-ylk="slk:GoFundMe page" data-rapid_p="9" data-v9y="1">GoFundMe page</a> set up to raise money for Ghosn’s widow and toddler, “and waits for him to have breakfast with him as he always did, and sing and dance together before he headed off to work.”</p> <p>Mr Ghosn and fellow Sydney father Bob Chahine died when their ute was swept off a flooded causeway in the Southern Tablelands on Monday night.</p> <p>It’s believed both men were riding in the back tray of the vehicle, while another two men in the ute’s cab managed to escape and swim to safety before raising the alarm for help. </p> <p>A large-scale search operation was launched to find the pair at Bevendale, about 50 kilometres east of Boorowa.</p> <p>Two bodies have since been found, and while they are yet to be formally identified, NSW Police say they believe they belong to the two missing men.</p> <p>“There are no words to describe the hell my daughter Sarah is living at the moment,” Mr Ghosn’s father-in-law wrote online.</p> <p>“Having lost her soul mate, her true love, the father of their little toddler and her whole world. My daughter’s heart is crushed.”</p> <p>Mr Moujalli went on to explain that he was “asking for help” for his daughter and beautiful grandson, Isaiah. “My son-in-law, God rest his soul, will never see his little boy grow up and my daughter Sarah is left broken and a widow at such a young age.”</p> <p>He added that he was setting up the fundraising page to “help Sarah with the long road ahead of her. To help ease the financial burden of raising a child as a single mother and help with bills until she is able to move on, and to give her time to mend her broken heart".</p> <p><em>Image credits: GoFundMe</em></p>

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"Profoundly remorseful": Judge shows mercy to father who killed toddler

<p>A Victorian father who was responsible for the death of his two-year-old son in a quad bike crash has wept after learning he is more than likely to avoid jail time.</p> <p>Christopher Brown was behind the wheel when he lost control of the buggy doing doughnuts, a dangerous manoeuvre on the quad bike. His son died on his lap as the buggy overturned, flinging the toddler from the vehicle.</p> <p>The incident happened at the family home in Barnawartha North, near the New South Wales border.</p> <p>Lincoln was sitting on his father's knee and was only being held in place, as no one involved was wearing a helmet. Browne escaped the crash with minor injuries, as did his sister, who was in the passenger seat.</p> <p>He appeared in the County Court of Victoria on Thursday and pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and conduct endangering persons.</p> <p>Judge Michael Cahill said he accepted that Browne was "profoundly remorseful".</p> <p>"I have formed the view in all the circumstances in this case that a community correction order is the appropriate sentence for Mr Browne," the judge said.</p> <p>"Living with the loss of his child is punishment more than any court could impose." Browne, who appeared by videolink, from Wodonga, wiped away tears as the judge spoke.</p> <p>The accident happened on Christmas Day in 2020, after Browne opened presents and ate brunch with family members at his home. Just before lunchtime, Browne took his Polaris buggy out to give his guests rides.</p> <p>He got into the driver's seat and sat on top of the seatbelt, which was already clipped in, while his sister got into the passenger side and put on her restraints.</p> <p>The court documents reveal that Browne placed Lincoln, who wanted to go for a ride, on his left knee and held him in place.</p> <p>He then drove out into a paddock and performed several doughnuts before driving back up the driveway, where he reached speeds of up to 70 kilometres per hour. He turned the buggy around and drove back into the paddock to perform another doughnut when he lost control of the vehicle and it flipped, flinging the toddler.</p> <p>The two-year-old died at the scene.</p> <p>"Mr Brown has been overwhelmed by his post-traumatic stress," Judge Cahill said.</p> <p>Prosecutor Erin Ramsay initially pushed for jail time but ultimately accepted that a community-based order was an appropriate sentence.</p> <p><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

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Dad sparks controversy for teaching toddler to hunt

<p dir="ltr">A dad has been hit with backlash for teaching his eldest son how to hunt, sparking a discussion on whether children should be able to use weapons.</p> <p dir="ltr">Zach Williams has a passion for hunting and is currently teaching his eldest stepson, who is seven, how to shoot a bow and arrow while his two-year-old watches from the comfort of a backpack.</p> <p dir="ltr">Williams told <em>news.com.au</em>’s podcast <em>I’ve Got News For You</em> that he was taken hunting when he was a child, and that he takes his children now to pass on that experience and to bond.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I started hunting before I had any memory of going out. My grandparents used to take me out camping and fishing and hunting quite young so it's just all I've known growing up," he told host Andrew Bucklow.</p> <p dir="ltr">His seven-year-old practices shooting at targets while his youngest son watches on, laughing as the pair take their shots.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I've got my stepson's elbow and have wound down the poundage, which is the drawer weight and I've just started letting him shoot targets with help from myself," Williams said.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d7e8821b-7fff-ab19-39a5-8980078be942"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">"[My younger son] giggles, [my eldest] shoots the bow again, [and my youngest] giggles and he's like more please dad."</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/aussie-dad-shoot1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Aussie dad Zach Williams has been teaching his young stepson how to use a bow, sparking controversy about his style of parenting. Image: @aussie_arrow (TikTok)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">On other occasions, Williams takes his youngest to explore the terrain and local animals.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I want him to have fun out there, take notice of all the other things that's going on. You see all the native animals, you see all the native bird life, you come across lizards, see plenty of kangaroos, emus and stuff like that,” Williams added.</p> <p dir="ltr">Along with teaching them how to shoot, Williams said the boys receive other educational benefits that non-hunters don’t typically notice, such as learning about conservation and the dangers feral animals impose on the environment, as well as how to be patient and how to “butcher” their own meat.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You learn firearm safety … You're drilling in how dangerous a gun can be. But you know …, [athletes] break their necks, break their legs, break their spines, you know have all these life changing events,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Hunting can be dangerous if something goes wrong, but so can everything."</p> <p dir="ltr">However, Williams doesn’t necessarily want his sons to shoot at animals just yet, since they don’t have the strength to kill their prey humanely.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You need a certain poundage to efficiently, effectively and humanely kill something with a bow and arrow and that's what you're trying for when your bow hunting is the most humane shot possible," Williams said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"So you have to get lots of practice in it and you also have to have the right setup, the right arrow. So it's as clean a kill as possible."</p> <p dir="ltr">Unlike Williams, Animal Justice Party MP Emma Hurst is among those who strongly oppose the activity and has expressed concern about how NSW hunting laws could be reformed in relation to children.</p> <p dir="ltr">Under the proposed changes, children would be allowed to hunt with bows and dogs regardless of age, while those aged 16-18 would no longer need supervision while hunting using these methods.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hurst said the proposal needs to be scrapped, despite similar rules existing elsewhere in Australia.</p> <p dir="ltr">"These are absolutely shocking proposals being put forward by the Minister of Agriculture, Dugald Saunders. It completely ignores the significant safety risk of these weapons, and the enormous animal welfare impacts that they will have as well," she told Bruckhurst.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though it’s still unclear whether these changes will be implemented, Hurst said she would be keeping a close eye on the situation in case the government attempts to “sneak” it through.</p> <p dir="ltr">As for parents like Williams, she said her party was greatly concerned about the “traumatic experiences” children go through if they get hurt.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I mean, that puts that toddler in a very dangerous situation, and also risks them experiencing trauma from witnessing an animal dying and being torn to pieces. It's really concerning,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-42cc5b19-7fff-ee9f-5533-b9d167033c44"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @aussie_arrow (TikTok)</em></p>

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"We are all hurting": Toddler dies of rare disease days before baby brother's birth

<p dir="ltr">An Australian toddler who died two weeks before her second birthday is being remembered as a “loving, caring little girl”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Twenty-three-month-old Ruby Edwards is the youngest victim of COVID-19 in Queensland, after the virus triggered Acute Hemorrhagic Leukoencephalitis, a rare neurological disease that usually follows viral or bacterial infections.</p> <p dir="ltr">The aggressive disease caused damage to her myelin - the insulating layer that covers nerves - after she suffered intense inflammation to her brain and spinal cord.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ruby passed away on July 24 at Brisbane Children’s Hospital, just ten days after she tested positive to Covid.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her father, Steven Edwards, broke the news in a heartbreaking Facebook post on Monday.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It is with great sadness that we announce our beautiful baby girl, Ruby Grace Edwards grew her angel wings and passed peacefully yesterday, 24/07/2022 at 4:21pm just two weeks before her 2nd birthday, surrounded by her family," he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">"She fought long and hard but unfortunately, the condition was too aggressive, ruthless and relentless. Thanks to her treatment, we don't believe she suffered any pain during her fight and was able to leave this world peacefully.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The hard working medical team of experts at both Logan Hospital and QLD Children's Hospital, did their very best and we are eternally grateful and thankful for their effort and care."</p> <p dir="ltr">Edwards and his wife, Krystal, are grieving their young daughter at the same time as they prepare to welcome another child into the world on Friday, with Edwards saying their family feels “broken” during what should be a “happy time”.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It feels like the world is falling apart for us right now, as we prepare for the arrival of our son this Friday, 29/07/2022. This is supposed to be such a happy time where our family would become complete but is now so broken," he shared.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We, all of us, need to love and support each other through this unimaginably tough time. We are all hurting, we are all in pain, please be kind and be there for each other and cherish Ruby's memory and the joy she brought to all of our lives.</p> <p dir="ltr">"All Krystal and I know right now is that we need to be strong as we embrace our arriving son. He will need us and we will need him."</p> <p dir="ltr">Sarah Watton, a friend of the Edwards, said they are dealing with a “mix of emotions” while grieving their “caring little girl” and preparing for the arrival of their newborn son.</p> <p dir="ltr">"What makes this incredibly tough time even more challenging is that Krystal &amp; Steven are expecting the arrival of their son on Friday. What a mix of emotions for anyone to try to deal with," she said</p> <p dir="ltr">"Ruby was only in this world for a short time. However, she made the most of every second. such a loving, caring little girl, always smiling. She touched the hearts of everyone she met &amp; will be sadly missed by everyone who met her."</p> <p dir="ltr">A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/beautiful-little-ruby?qid=5c29c885cef0dd42a3d60cd1aed627c2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe page</a> set up by Watton to help the Edwards family has raised $26,560 as of publication, far exceeding its goal of $15,000.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I know there are no words to comfort Ruby's mum &amp; dad right now as they try their best to navigate through this incredibly tough time so I was hoping to try &amp; help them financially," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Any donations, no matter how large or small, would be greatly appreciated; if you aren't in a position to donate, could you please share this with your family &amp; friends."</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b6716380-7fff-0868-c92c-890ea6802edc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: GoFundMe</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Toddler dies from hit-and-run outside childcare centre

<p><em>Latest</em></p> <p>A woman has handed herself in after a three-year-old boy died following a hit-a-run.</p> <p>The 73-year-old woman handed herself into police Friday morning and will be interviewed later that day.</p> <p>A red sedan that was allegedly involved in the collision has been seized and will be forensically tested.</p> <p>The victim, a three-year-old boy ran into traffic on Thursday and succumbed to his injuries overnight. </p> <p><em>Earlier</em></p> <p>A three-year-old boy has died after being hit by a car in Melbourne on Thursday night. </p> <p>The toddler ran into traffic when he was hit by a red sedan that failed to stop at the scene on McIntyre Road in Sunshine North, in the city’s northwest, around 6.30pm.</p> <p>Emergency services rushed to the scene and took the boy to hospital where he tragically died overnight. </p> <p>“These kind of collisions, sometimes they bring out the worst and the best in people,” Detective Acting Sergeant Leigh Miller said.</p> <p>“In this case, you have the driver of a car for unknown reasons, they have failed to stop and help this child.</p> <p>“I can just only hope they didn't know that it was a child, but if they did, what else can we say about them?'</p> <p>Victoria Police are appealing for any witnesses to come and for the driver to hand themselves in. </p> <p>“Investigators are appealing for anyone with information and the driver to come forward and contact police,' they said.</p> <p>“Anyone who witnessed the incident, has dashcam footage or any other information that could assist police with their enquiries is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.”</p> <p><em>Image: 7News</em></p>

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Heartwarming update for toddler who suffered catastrophic burns

<p dir="ltr">The family of the boy who suffered burns to 40 per cent of his body have shared a heartwarming update.</p> <p dir="ltr">Elijah Whitton was left in critical condition after a fire ripped through the family home in Mildura, Victoria on May 1.</p> <p dir="ltr">The two-year-old was rushed to hospital where he was placed in an induced coma due to the devastating burns to 40 per cent of his body. </p> <p dir="ltr">Almost three weeks later, Elijah’s sister Alyia shared an update on his condition after his third wound debridement. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Elijiah came out of his third wound debridement surgery on May 12,” Alyia wrote on the <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/d86xr-fight-for-elijah" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He has adapted well to the changes made. Elijah had skin grafting to his face and to his lower body. </p> <p dir="ltr">“His swelling has reduced and his skin has improved. His breathing tube has been removed and he is now breathing on his own. Both of his eyes have opened. </p> <p dir="ltr">“However, he is still getting used to the new changes, he's been a bit more agitated since coming out of surgery, which is expected.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He is recovering incredibly well!!</p> <p dir="ltr">“Thank you to everyone who has contributed to Elijah's fight to recovery, words will never be able to summarise how grateful we are.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Aliyia also said that Elijah had his fourth wound debridement on May 19 - she is yet to update on the progress. </p> <p dir="ltr">If you would like to donate to Elijah’s family go to the GoFundMe link <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/d86xr-fight-for-elijah" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: GoFundMe/7News</em></p>

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Toddler orders $130 worth of McDonald's cheeseburgers

<p>A DoorDash driver handed one very confused mum 31 cheeseburgers and thanked her for leaving a generous tip.</p> <p>When Kelsey Burkhalter Golden checked her phone she realised her toddler Garrett had been “playing” on her phone, logging the large order.</p> <p>"He was really just flicking it around and making like roller coaster moves with his arms and fingers," she said. "I thought he was just looking at his reflection and carrying the phone around and about 30 minutes later, I got a text from the DoorDash company that was like, 'Hey, it's gonna take a little bit longer than usual to take your order.'"</p> <p>When the doorbell rang and Golden saw the size of the order, she was shocked.</p> <p>"So I go and open the door and there's this girl standing there and she's like, 'Your 31 cheeseburgers?'" Golden laughed. "I just stared at her awkwardly for like 15 seconds but then I just took them, like, 'Oh, thank you!'"</p> <p>"And she was like, 'Thank you for the tip!'."</p> <p>The cost of the cheeseburgers came to $US61.58, but with a $16 tip and app fees, the total came to $91.70 ($AU131.85).</p> <p>"He actually doesn't even like cheeseburgers. He ate half of one," the mum said. "We had about 30 and a half cheeseburgers on our hands."</p> <p>Trying to find a solution, Kelsey posted in a neighborhood Facebook group that she had "31 free cheeseburgers from McDonald's if anyone is interested. Apparently my 2 yr old knows how to order DoorDash," accompanied by a hilarious picture of Garrett sitting next to the stacked cheeseburgers with a smug smile on his face.</p> <p>The majority was taken by a large local family, as well as other neighbours.</p> <p>"It was an innocent thing. He was just playing with my phone," she said.</p> <p>"I don't strive too much for perfection. My kids are really super happy and that's what matters."</p> <p><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

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Toddler suffers brain damage after Easter egg hunt

<p dir="ltr">A young boy who suffered brain damage after a fun weekend may lose his toes and fingers after contracting a life threatening disease.</p> <p dir="ltr">Teddie was “bouncing around” with his siblings during an exciting Easter egg hunt on Good Friday but it was two days later when he woke up with a temperature.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mother Zoe Stewart noticed a pink looking bruise on his forehead which had then spread all over his stomach. </p> <p dir="ltr">Teddie’s condition began to rapidly deteriorate and he was rushed to hospital where he was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and septicaemia.</p> <p dir="ltr">The doctors said it was too late to wait for the painkillers to kick in and they had to drill into Teddie’s shin bones.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He was starting to bleed from his mouth and his nose, it was just terrifying,” Zoe told The Mirror.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We were told what all parents never want to hear, that we needed to understand there was a chance Teddie may not make it as he has a life-threatening infection.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Teddie was transferred to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital where he spent two weeks in the ICU - all while his parents feared the worst.</p> <p dir="ltr">Eventually he was taken off life support and began breathing on his own, however, he has suffered some brain damage of which the long term effects are still unknown. </p> <p dir="ltr">A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-little-teddies-parents?qid=ac29c369ef749c5c5d13b40672d8bdf7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page has been created to help the family. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: GoFundMe</em></p>

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