Kiara Moore death: Heartbroken mother blames her 'stupidity' after daughter, 2, died in car that rolled into river

A heartbroken mother whose daughter died in a car that rolled into a freezing cold river in Wales has blamed the tragedy on her “own stupidity”.

Kiara Moore’s mother, Kim Rowland, said she would "live with the guilt for the rest of her life" after her daughter died in hospital having been rescued from the River Teifi in Cardigan.

She wrote on Facebook: "Sadly yesterday my beautiful baby girl passed away! Due to my own stupidity, I will have to live with the guilt for the rest of my life!

"Mummy loves you baby girl and I'm so sorry!"

She had initially feared the car, a silver Mini, had been stolen with Kiara inside and posted pleas on Facebook appealing to help locate it.

Dyfed-Powys Police were alerted to a missing vehicle at around 3.30pm on Monday, saying it was last seen outside the old Scout Hall, where Ms Rowlands and her husband Jet Moore run an outdoor adventure business, Adventure Beyond.

But a major search revealed the car was in the river a short distance away from where it had last been seen.

Mr Moore said on Tuesday his daughter’s death was an accident.

He said his partner left her daughter in the car while she went back into the office to get money and it rolled into the river.

He wrote on Facebook: "They got in the car to go home. Sat on bank card which snapped and needed money to get home etc.

"Went back to the office to get money from the desk and came back to no car. Looked in the river no signs. So we thought she and the car had been taken.

"The police found the car a while later and went way beyond the call of duty jumping in and pulling her out.

"They tried to revive her for hours but unfortunately could not. Everyone done their best. Thank you all so much for the support it means the world!!!"

Kiara was airlifted to University Hospital Wales where she was later pronounced dead.

Mr Moore added: "She was an incredible happy young girl who lived I hope a great adventurous fun life. And may have done more than most people."

"Had a loving family and made us all happy. She always wanted to be called RAR RAR which was our nickname for her. Love her so much."

Flowers and cards were left near the old Scout Hall on the Strand.

Next to the building, on a slipway that leads to the river, Grace Hills, 32, and her one-year-old son Parker placed a bunch of flowers, a pink heart helium balloon and a card.

Mrs Hills said she worked at a baby and toddler group in Dre-Fach Felindre that Kiara attended, and the card was one her son had made while painting with her.

She Hills said she did not know exactly what happened "but I just feel very sad for the little girl and for the family".

Mrs Hills added: "She is going to be missed.

"She was a lovely little smiley girl, always happy."

Noel Lewis, who owns the Pioneer Garage on the other side of the slipway, said he knew Mr Moore and would see him there as well as Kiara and her mother.

He said he often saw a silver Mini parked on the slipway, but he was not there on Monday so did not know if it was there then.

Of the slipway, he said: "It's concrete, about four or five foot, going down into the river bed, which is quite deep, so if the Mini rolled back then the poor little girl didn't stand a chance."

He said he knew the family to say hello to, and added: "It's awful."

Speaking to the BBC, he said: "Kiara was the most wonderful little girl... They're a lovely family, always smiling and having fun together."

Officers said they were continuing to investigate the circumstances of the incident and appealed for witnesses who may have seen the vehicle enter the river between 3.30pm and 4.50pm on Monday to call 101, quoting incident 216 of 19/03/2018.