Mother blames ‘own stupidity’ for daughter’s death
A MOTHER has blamed her “own stupidity” for the death of her two-yearold daughter who drowned in a car near her family’s outdoor pursuits business.
Kiara Moore died at the University Hospital of Wales just days before her third birthday, after being pulled from a silver Mini in the Teifi river in Cardigan, Ceredigion, Wales.
In an emotional outpouring of grief on Facebook for her daughter, Kim Rowlands, said she would have to live with the guilt and “my own stupidity”.
Police were initially called to the scene on Monday afternoon after Ms Rowlands reported her car missing, shouting “somebody’s kidnapped my daughter”.
Dyfed-powys Police have since confirmed that they are not looking for anyone in connection with the investigation.
Ms Rowlands wrote on Facebook: “Sadly yesterday my beautiful baby girl passed away. Due to my own stupidity, I will have to live with the guilt for the rest of my life. Mummy loves you, baby girl, and I’m so sorry.”
Jet Moore, Kiara’s father, explained his daughter’s death on social media. He said she had been left in the car while Ms Rowlands went into the nearby office of his business, Adventure Beyond, to get some money.
On returning to the car it had disappeared, sparking fears it had been stolen. A two-hour police search followed. Mr Moore wrote: “They got in the car to go home. Sat on a bank card which snapped and needed money to get home etc. Went back to the office to get money from the desk and came back to no car. Looked in the river. No signs. So we thought she and the car had been taken.”
It is not yet known exactly how the vehicle ended up in the river or for how long Kiara was left in the car unsupervised. Dyfed-powys Police said it received a call on Monday about a missing vehicle at 3.30pm and posted on its Twitter page that the Mini had been located at 5.11pm. A police spokesman said: “The vehicle was recovered from the river early this morning.”
Adventure Beyond is located next to a slipway near to a former scout hall, where the vehicle was last seen. It is believed Ms Rowlands also works at the business.
Paying tribute to his daughter, Mr Moore said: “She was an incredible, happy young girl who lived, I hope, a great, adventurous fun life.
Mr Moore yesterday thanked everyone
‘I will have to live with the guilt for the rest of my life. Mummy loves you, baby girl, and I’m so sorry’
who had helped try to save Kiara, adding: “A mega thank-you to the officers who jumped in the river and to the rest of the emergency services for all they did. Unfortunately Kiara had an amazing but short life.”
Noel Lewis, who runs a car repair business close to where Kiara went missing, told BBC Wales that Kiara was “the most wonderful little girl”.
He added: “She was always playing out here with her little dog. I’d often see them taking Kiara out on the river in a canoe. She always had a life jacket on when she was in the canoe. They were a lovely family, always smiling and having fun together.”