On December 25th, a tragic accident on a rural road in Western Australia left three young children without their parents. Cindy Braddock and Jake Day had been driving home from Northam when their Land Rover rolled off Corrigin-Kondinin Road, leaving the couple fatally injured and their three children—a 5-year-old girl and her two younger brothers, aged 1 and 2—trapped in the car.
The children remained in this state for 55 hours, as temperatures reached 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).
The children were eventually found by a family member on Tuesday, dehydrated but otherwise unharmed. They were transported to Perth Children’s Hospital for treatment, and are expected to be released in the next few days.
According to the reports, Michael Read, a relative of the victims, credits the 5-year-old girl with saving her 1-year-old brother’s life shortly after the crash in Kondinin.
“If it wasn’t for the five-year-old undoing the buckle of the one-year-old’s car seat, he wouldn’t be with us today,” he said, per the outlets.
The cause of the crash is still unknown, but local leaders have expressed concerns about the road conditions where the family was traveling. Shire president Kent Mouritz said the roads in the Wheatbelt are “dangerous” and declining in quality due to an increase in heavy traffic.
The tragedy has shaken the community, and a GoFundMe campaign has been started to support Braddock and Day’s family with funeral costs and any living expenses for their children.
This heartbreaking story is a reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing our loved ones. It’s a reminder to take the time to appreciate the small moments and to be grateful for the people we have in our lives.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Cindy Braddock and Jake Day and their three young children as they mourn the loss of their parents. May they find comfort and strength in knowing that their parents will always be with them, watching over them.
