Mum found out son, 2, was dying after receiving chilling phone call

The little boy
-Credit: (Image: Samantha Walsh / SWNS)


A mum learned her two-year-old son was dying in a tragic accident after receiving a chilling phone call.

Samantha Walsh was made aware of her toddler's state when her niece rang her on Wednesday (September 18). The teenager told the mum about her two-year-old, Carter Walsh, who had "banged his head" after she had popped out for 20 minutes.

In reality, a marble fireplace had collapsed on the tot, after the bottom section "snapped" and fell on the boy at their family home. Fearing the worst, 38-year-old Samantha rushed home to Wigan and found paramedics desperately trying to save the young boy's life.

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However, the boy died in hospital, the Mirror reports. Speaking to reporters yesterday (September 20), for the first time since the tragedy, mum-of-four Samantha said: "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 tragic day earlier this week, Carter had enjoyed "the best day ever" with relatives and was able to meet his grandmother's horse. He also played with his cousin and aunt Natalie Prescott, 35, at his home when Samantha had popped out.

Samantha Walsh is pictured with her tragic son Carter Walsh
Samantha Walsh with Carter Walsh, who suffered a head injury and was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead -Credit:Samantha Walsh / SWNS

Less than half an hour later, tragedy struck.

Natalie said: "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 landlord of the property was at the address fixing the boiler when the accident happened. He called 999 and an ambulance rushed to the scene.

Natalie's daughter also called Samantha, then began to panic. Samantha said: "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'."

Carter, pictured on the same day he died, suffered a traumatic head injury
Carter Walsh on the same day he died on 18 September 2024 -Credit:Samantha Walsh / SWNS

Samantha's mum, a nurse, warned her to prepare for the worst after they found out Carter had been airlifted to hospital. She added: "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.’”

Devastated Samantha said she saw Carter on the ward looking "peaceful" but he had no physical signs of a life-threatening injury. She said: “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.

“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 spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said on Thursday that they were supporting Samantha and her family. He said: “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.

“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.”

A spokesman for North West Ambulance Service added: "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."

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