A grief-stricken mother is searching for answers after her four-year-old daughter drowned in a neighbour’s pool days out from Christmas.
Rhiannon Egan-Lee took her eyes off Ivy for just a moment to prepare a coffee on December 17.
In the four minutes it took to boil the kettle, Ivy pushed through a wooden fence at their rental property in Morwell, 150km east of Melbourne.
She was found unresponsive in the neighbour’s backyard pool.
The little girl was airlifted to the Royal Children’s Hospital, where the family made the heartbreaking decision to turn off life support on Saturday after a 11-day fight for life.
‘She should be safe in her own backyard for four minutes while I make a coffee, you know? Four minutes,’ Ms Egan-Lee told Seven News.
‘She was so full of life. She was so full of love. She’s so funny, and she’s always laughing, dancing and twirling.’
‘She put up the hardest fight of her life. She did really well. I’m so proud of her.’
Four-year-old Ivy passed away after she drowned in a neighbour’s pool and could not be saved after 11 days on life support
Mother Rhiannon Egan-Lee was in the kitchen making a coffee when tragedy struck
The family believes Ivy climbed into the neighbour’s backyard by moving a paling in the boundary fence.
The fence at their rental home appeared to have gaps in the worn slats.
Latrobe Valley Council has since erected a temporary fence around the neighbour’s pool.
A permanent fence is set to be installed imminently.
The family want answers as who is responsible for both the safety compliance of the fence and pool – the housing co-op that manages their rental, the neighbour or the local council.
‘The fence had come up at two meetings, two prior meetings,’ Ms Egan-Lee said.
‘There are strict safety guidelines,’ she added.
The council has since erected a temporary fence around the backyard pool but Ms Egan-Lee wants to know who’s to blame
A real estate agent told Seven News the pool had previously passed a council safety check.
Latrobe Valley Council, however, was unable to confirm.
A GoFundMe was established to help cover the costs of Ivy’s funeral.
‘We don’t want anything, but to make the brightest most miraculous day possible for our littles uperhero,’ the page states.
‘Our Feisty, Loving, Happy little spooky dancing superstar babylady, forever and always remembered and loved every moment of every day.
Ms Egan-Lee added: ‘(I) just want to give her the best, most magical day. I want to write her name in the sky.’
The fundraiser had raised almost $10,200 by Tuesday night.
A daycare teacher recalled how Ivy never failed to brighten her day.
‘I still remember how she would always put a smile on my face when she stood at the fence to yell ‘bye’ and wave at me, when I walked to my car to leave work,’ she wrote.
‘She would never wear ‘normal clothes’ for daycare, only her dress ups and was absolutely unbothered [by] what others thought of it. Ivy was such a happy and smiley little girl, who loved giving hugs and cuddles to her educators.’
