Girl (2) killed in tragic Waterford accident suspected to have choked on cord of a window blind

The incident happened shortly before 5pm on Wednesday at a property in the Dungarvan area of Co Waterford.

It is understood that the baby girl’s mother, a 28-year-old local woman, found the child in a distressed state and emergency services were notified.

Desperate efforts were made at the scene to stabilise the condition of the little girl and she was rushed to University Hospital Waterford (UHW).

Despite the efforts of doctors and nurses, the girl was pronounced dead a short time after admission.

No foul play is suspected in the case which has been established to be a tragic accident.

The child has a twin sister who is understood to have been in the house at the time. Neighbours have spoken about their sense of shock.

“They are such lovely people. Everyone here is heartbroken,” said one member of the community.

“How can they ever get over this? All the indications are that it happened so fast and was a terrible accident.”

Gardaí quickly established that the tragedy was not a criminal matter but an official cause of death has not yet been determined.

“Gardaí in Waterford responded to a call on Wednesday evening in relation to a child found unresponsive in her home in Co Waterford,” a garda spokesman said in a statement.

“The child was conveyed by ambulance to University Hospital Waterford where she was later pronounced deceased.

“A file will be prepared for the Coroner’s Court. A family liaison officer has been appointed to provide support and assistance to the family of the deceased at this time.”

Gardaí will prepare a file for the Waterford coroner, with an inquest into the tragedy expected to be held next year.