Mum found out son, 2, was dying in horror phone call after she popped out for 20 minutes
A heartbroken mum discovered her toddler was fatally injured after a fireplace fell on him, while she was away from home for just 20 minutes. Samantha Walsh first learned of the horrifying incident involving her two-year-old son Carter on Wednesday, September 18 when her teenage niece called to say he had "banged his head".
In reality, a marble fireplace had collapsed, its bottom section "snapping" and crushing the little boy. The 38-year-old Manchester mum rushed home in terror, fearing the worst, only to find paramedics desperately trying to save Carter.
Tragically, he later died in hospital. Speaking publicly for the first time since the devastating loss, Samantha told the Mirror: "He was my best friend. He was well-loved, not just by his family but by anybody that met him. He broke the hearts of everybody he met... He was the apple of our eyes."
On the day of the accident, Carter had enjoyed a wonderful day with his family, even meeting his grandmother's horse, the Daily Record reports.
Disaster struck less than half an hour after Samantha left him playing with his cousin and aunt Natalie Prescott, 35, at home. Natalie described the moment the fireplace collapsed: "The fireplace, it just collapsed in the middle. It was giving and it's just collapsed and it's just come forward. It was a marble fireplace."
The property's landlord, who was at the address fixing a boiler at the time, called 999 and paramedics rushed to the scene.
Natalie's daughter then called Samantha, who began to panic. Samantha recounted: "She was very calm at first and she just said 'You need to come home, Carter has banged his head.' I don't know if she was doing that to keep me calm."
"I was waiting for a taxi, and I was on my way home, and then I just kept ringing her. And every time I rang her, I could tell it was serious. She started to panic because she knew I was on my way back."
"I rang my mum. She came and picked me up. And when I got there, they were still working on him – the ambulance and the police. They let me see him, and then they said, 'Right, we need to get him to hospital'."
"They said, 'We're going to Wigan [hospital].' I knew then, there was nothing... because they cancelled the air ambulance. My mum is a nurse at the hospital. So she knew as well. So she just said, 'Prepare yourself when you get to the hospital.'" A heartbroken Samantha shared that upon seeing Carter in the hospital, he appeared 'peaceful' and showed no signs of a severe injury.
She explained: "It was just one head injury. But he just looked so peaceful... There was no bruising or anything to his face. The cut was covered over.
"There were no visible injuries. He's had loads of checks at the hospital. They've said he had been healthy [prior to the accident]. Everything was fine."
Samantha shared her heartrenching story about Carter, who had initially been placed in foster care after birth. Grappling with grief since the little boy's death, Samantha recounted: "I had to fight for him back out of foster care. I did that, I got him back, and I've spent every day with him since. He's been with me now nearly two years, obviously. He was my best mate."
Overcome by emotion, she continued, "I've been back to the house. I couldn't stay there. I went to stay with my sisters. I went back yesterday to clean up, obviously, because there was blood."
A spokesperson from Greater Manchester Police confirmed its involvement, detailing: "At around 2.15pm on Wednesday September 18, officers were called to reports regarding a concern for welfare of a child on Fisher Close, Wigan."
They added, "Sadly, despite the best efforts of paramedics, a two-year-old boy later died at hospital. Enquiries are ongoing and officers are supporting the family at this time."
In addition, a representative for North West Ambulance Service stated: "We attended an incident at a private address following a 999 call at 14.06. An ambulance, air ambulance, response vehicle, advanced paramedic attended. A patient was taken to hospital by road."