Vienna Rose Irwin found dead in well after Canadian 2 year old girl wandered away from her daycare and only noticed missing when her mother came to collect her later that day.
What went wrong? A 2-year-old Canadian girl was found dead down a well after wandering away from her daycare, with staff only realizing that the toddler was missing when the child’s mother came to pick her up, according to reports.
Vienna Rose Irwin was discovered missing Thursday afternoon when mom Claire arrived at Watch Me Grow Day Care in Cobourg, Ontario, according to the Toronto Sun.
After a frantic search, she was found dead down an open well about an hour later, Global News reported. It remained unclear the length of time that passed between the girl wandering from the daycare until her disappearance was noted.
‘The reality is kids are kids – they can be there one second and gone another.’
A fundraiser called her the ‘most beautiful and sweetest little girl’ who ‘gained her angel wings in a way parents only think about in their worst nightmares.’
Neighbors recalled staff pleading for help as they sought to locate the missing toddler as cops also raced to the scene.
‘We started looking immediately, checking our backyards, everywhere,’ said Greg Gotthelf, who lives across the street from the daycare, which is near a busy two-lane highway.
Adding,‘The reality is kids are kids – they can be there one second and gone another.’
Ontario Provincial Police only confirmed that a child was reported missing ‘from an address in Hamilton Township” and “was subsequently located deceased at the address.’
What went wrong?
An online fundraiser said that the parents, Clay and Claire Irwin, are ‘so very overwhelmed and stricken with grief that they may not be able to answer any’ messages of support. It had raised the US equivalent of around $90,000 with more than 1,300 donating by Tuesday afternoon.
The little girl’s death is still being investigated by cops and Ontario’s chief coroner, with daycare staff assisting, CTV News reported.
Watch Me Grow is fully licensed and has no history of serious incidents, the Ministry of Education told the outlet.
‘We were deeply saddened to hear about the passing of a child and offer our heartfelt condolences to their family and loved ones,’ a ministry spokesperson said.
It continued to remain unclear how the two year old child disappeared from caretakers before she eventually was found dead.
