News of a toddler’s death at Jewel Changi Airport has shocked Singapore last year. An 18-month-old child died after a full-length standing mirror fell on her, at the Urban Revivo fashion store on 23 August 2019.
But an inquiry into the child’s death this Thursday (2 April) revealed that the child died of a head injury, investigation officer Inspector Sarah Habibah told State Coroner Kamala Ponnampalam.
A Misadventure
The police did not suspect any foul play behind the tragedy, and attributed it to “a misadventure”, added Inspector Sarah.
According to previous news reports, the child was identified by Lianhe Wanbao as Lai Jiaxin. She and her family were due to fly home to Xiamen, China, on the day of the tragedy. The incident took place around 3 hours before their 3pm flight.
Toddler’s death at Jewel Changi fashion store shocks Singapore
The footage of the incident via an in-store camera showed that Jiaxin had been tottering around two boys who were in the watch of their two grandmothers.
At that time, the children’s mothers were at another part of the store trying on clothes.
Meanwhile, the boys had been running about the store and then went behind a free-standing mirror.
The mirror was knocked over in the process and fell on Jiaxin who was standing in front of it.
She bled from her mouth and nose after being pinned under the mirror. The mirror was reported to be almost 2m tall and weighed over 100kg, according to the Straits Times.
After witnessing what had happened, Jiaxin’s grandmother shouted for help and alerted Jiaxin’s mother.
With the help of the store staff and three other people, Jiaxin was freed from beneath the mirror.
SCDF responded to the medical emergency at 12.33pm, and first aid was administered before the paramedics arrived. The child was unconscious when she was rushed to Changi General Hospital. She was soon pronounced dead at 2.35pm that day.
The child’s body was cremated on 25 August 2019 at the Mandai Crematorium. Before that, prayers were conducted at the Urban Revivo store in the presence of her mother and other family members.
PHOTO: FACEBOOK / URBAN REVIVO
The Urban Revivo store was closed following the incident, as of Sunday, 25 August.
For the info, there are 3 Urban Revivo outlets in Singapore – at Jewel Changi Airport, Plaza Singapura and Raffles City.
Employees at their other stores have been cautioned to check on their standing mirrors, and to ensure that they are secure.
One employee from their Raffles City outlet has been quoted as saying, “The standing mirrors here are attached to the clothing racks so they are very stable. I think the ones at Jewel are free standing.”
We at theAsianparent express our heartfelt condolences to the family of this little child, who went away too soon.
Also READ: A 2-year-old dies after a mirror falls on her at shoe shop
(Source: The Straits Times, Channel NewsAsia)