The parents of a baby who died in a daycare centre have revealed what toy they bought for him in the hopes he would play with it when he was older.
Riley Ma, 1, was found unconscious at the facility in Wakerley, in Brisbane’s east, at around 3.30pm on September 2 and rushed to hospital.
It is known that the one-year-old child had a medical condition and unfortunately could not be resuscitated.
Riley’s mother, Ying Song, and father, Ning Ma, have now revealed their grief, just days after he would have turned 13 months old.
Ms Song said the whole family was devastated by the sudden death of her “healthy, cute, intelligent” son.
The parents had bought toys for the boy for when he could stand and walk independently.
“I had heard that all little boys love to dig in the sand at the beach, so we bought him a whole set of beach toys early on, thinking that once he could walk, we would take him to the beach,” said Ms. Song. 7News.
‘Unfortunately, that opportunity will never arise.’
The parents of a one-year-old boy who died at daycare on September 2, Riley Ma (pictured), had bought him toys to play in the sand for when he could walk on his own
Riley had just learned to walk and was holding on to the coffee table, a sight that filled his parents with joy.
The one-year-old appeared to be in a cheerful mood when he was dropped off at daycare around 7:30 a.m. on the day of his death.
Just hours later, Riley’s father received the terrifying phone call that the boy could not be saved, despite the best efforts of emergency services.
The couple had wanted a child since 2015, but waited until they received permanent residency in Australia to create stability.
After nearly a decade of waiting, Ms Song said Riley was born with “love and hope and grew up in a loving environment”.
She said he had just started laughing and interacting with strangers because he believed Riley would “develop a happy and cheerful personality.”
Mr. Ma remembers his son’s “joy” when he encountered Mrs. Song during their many games of hide-and-seek.
“These are memories we want to keep in our hearts forever,” he said.
Riley (pictured) is believed to have suffered a medical condition at Wakerley daycare and sadly could not be resuscitated.
Generous Australians have raised more than $22,000 in a GoFundMe started by good friend and neighbor, Yang Zhao.
“I can’t thank you enough for your kindness and generosity,” Ms. Zhao wrote in an update on the fundraising page on September 7.
‘Riley’s grandparents have arrived in Australia and are caring for Riley’s parents.
“They have managed to get some sleep with all the love from all of you. They would like me to convey their deepest appreciation.”