A Scots couple have paid tribute to their 14-month-old daughter while also warning other parents after she tragically died following an accident at home.
To honour her memory and to warn other families of the risk to small children of everyday objects, the family are bravely sharing their story.
Hannah and Connor Macphee, of Alness in the Highlands, welcomed daughter Mia into the world on March 31 last year. Their third child, Mia was born at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.
Hannah, who is now 28 weeks pregnant with the couple's third son, told the Press and Journal: “She was an amazing baby, happy all the time. This sassy little toddler, into everything, which we loved about her. She was so much more independent than her brothers. They liked cuddles and she liked to be into everything.”
Delivery driver Connor was also very close to his daughter, affectionately known as 'Mia Moo'. The tot was always looking for her dad the moment he got in from work with Menzies.
Mia's brothers Alex, 13, and Jacob, eight, were smitten with their little sister, and the whole family were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the fourth sibling. However, their lives were tragically turned upside down on May 24.
Hannah said: “Mia knew how to make her presence known. She had an infectious laugh, and though she could say 'mamma' and 'dadda' it was her spontaneous little screams that we were used to. When she went quiet we knew something was wrong.”
The doting parents had only left Mia in another room while they went to the kitchen for a few minutes, when tragedy struck. She became tangled in a small handbag-style rucksack with thin straps, hanging on the handle of the door.
Hannah said: “Connor went to see. As he untangled her he screamed for me. I grabbed her and took her to the kitchen floor where I started doing CPR. Connor rang 999. ”
Neighbours and then an air ambulance arrived during a frantic period after she was discovered hanging from the bag.
Hannah said: “We told our eight-year-old to stay upstairs. I wasn’t unaware of how serious it was. She was without oxygen for a very long time. It took 30-45 minutes for her heart to start beating again.”
Mia was rushed to Raigmore in an ambulance, while Connor and Hannah were taken in a police car.
Hannah said: “We have this memory of knowing they couldn’t travel fast as there were a lot of people with Mia in the ambulance, but being so frustrated that people wouldn’t pull in to let us all through. You don’t always think about that until you’re in this situation."
A team of specialist medics flew from Glasgow to take over Mia's care so she could be transferred to hospital in Edinburgh, with her condition very serious. Mia was put on a ventilator to breathe for her, and Hannah and Connor told she may not survive.
“It was horrific. Our daughter’s life was hanging in the balance, our home was effectively a crime scene because something so terrible had happened," Hannah said. “But we had a small chink of hope in that she was coming off certain medications. Sadly it wasn’t to be.”
Connor and Hannah stayed in the Ronald McDonald house after arriving in Edinburgh, but by Sunday Mia had passed away.
Hannah said: “We had the best part of four days with her there and we are so thankful for that. Our family were able to come and see her too. On that Sunday she just became distressed. All her vitals were changing and we knew we didn’t have much time.
“She came off her ventilator at 2.10pm. Connor and I lay in bed with her. I had my hand on her chest and could feel her slipping away. Her heart stopped beating at 2.35pm. We fell asleep with her between us. That was the last proper time we had with our little girl.”
The heartbroken couple said the next time they hold Mia will be when she is in her casket, which will sit on their laps during her funeral.
Hannah pleaded with other parents to be wary of household dangers. She said: “We can’t stress this enough to anyone reading this; we didn’t even give a bag hanging on a door a second thought. But everyday things like that need to be thought about. The policeman who came to see us told us he once attended to a family in similar circumstances whose baby became tangled in a cot mobile.
“You never think it will happen to you. We’re sharing this with you so it never has to happen to anyone else again.”
A celebration of Mia’s life will take place next Thursday, June 15, at 2pm in Inverness Crematorium. Infatuated with her own toy Mini car, Mini lovers from the Alness area are creating a procession as a tribute to Mia.
Hannah added: “We’ve even found a pink Mini. She would have loved that.”
A Go Fund Me page was started by members of the local community where the Macphees live, set up to support the family financially while Mia was in hospital. Now, the £5,000-plus raised will help pay for Mia’s funeral flowers and a memory garden.
The family paid special thanks to neighbours Fiona and Dan, emergency services, funeral directors and others who have supported them during the most difficult of times.
“We are devastated. It feels like we are telling a story that we know all the words to but it surely can’t be about us,” said Hannah. The couple said they explained to their youngest son that Mia is "now in Heaven" but said every day is difficult, dealing with such profound grief.
Connor added: “Mia was always a happy child, always smiling and laughing. She had an amazing personality. We were so lucky to have had her in our lives. We’ll never forget you Mia Moo.”
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