Parents ‘tortured’ by death of baby after magpie swooped in Brisbane park
The devastated aunts of a baby who died after her mother tried to protect her from a swooping magpie have described the feelings of torture the parents have been left with.
Mia was in her mother’s arms when a magpie swooped at them at a Brisbane park on Sunday.
The five-month-old suffered critical injuries when her mother fell during her efforts to dodge the bird. Mia died in hospital.
Relatives have launched a Gofundme campaign to raise money to cover Mia’s funeral costs and give her mother, identified only as Simone, and her father, Jacob, time to process their loss.
“Mia’s arrival made Jacob and Simone’s lives complete, they constantly doted over her, showered her with love, and shared her for all their loved ones to adore,” extended family members wrote.
They said the accident sparked by the magpie attack, in Glindemann Park at Holland Park West, had shattered the hearts of everyone in their family.
“No words can begin to describe the torture Jacob and Simone are going through. A life cut so short, much sooner than any one of us expected. Mia was and forever will be the light of Jacob and Simone’s lives.”
Those behind the fundraiser identified themselves as Katie, Sophie, Claudia and Steph – all sisters of Mia’s parents.
They said Jacob and Simone had not asked for anything but sparing them the burden of funeral costs and the pressure to return to work would give them the space to grieve. “We love you both Jacob and Simone, and will forever love you Mia … Fly high baby girl,” they wrote.
The campaign has so far raised more than $70,000.
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Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner had ordered an investigation into the council’s management of swooping birds at the park, after reports another user had officially reported an overly aggressive magpie at the same location. It will include a review of how council officers manage complaints.
“People are the priority here. Of course we protect our native animals, but protecting people is more important,” he said on Tuesday.
“We need to feel safe to be out walking and riding in our suburbs all year round, including in the six-to-eightweeks of nesting season.”
He said the council had installed almost 300 new warning signs on council land over the past two years.
“This is an extremely tragic accident, and our heart goes out to the family involved,” the mayor said.
Sean Dooley from BirdLife Australia told the ABC that while only the male magpies swoop, and only 10% of males do swoop, “the consequences, especially when people are caught unaware, can be truly terrifying and devastating”.
Dooley said swooping season ran from July to December, with a peak in September.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
China’s court system is notoriously opaque, with conviction rates of about 99%, and successful appeals are very rare.