UPDATE: The parents of 3-year-old Kawa Sweeney, who nearly drowned in a Bali swimming pool, have made the heart-wrenching decision to switch off her life support.
The Sydney toddler was declared brain dead by medical staff at Princess Margaret Hospital in Perth. As The Australian reports, her parents, Des Sweeney and Dee Tang, released a statement confirming the devastating decision.
“Unfortunately, in spite of all the hopes and prayers, Kawa has lost her battle. Family are saying goodbye today,” the statement said.
“We would like to thank everyone who has gone above and beyond in all of this.”
ORIGINAL:
Three-year-old Sydney girl Kawa Sweeney was in Bali with her parents on their combined holiday and work trip.
But on Sunday morning, devastation struck when Kawa was pulled unconscious from the pool at the villa her family was staying at.
As The Sydney Morning Herald reports, the little girl was resuscitated by a Perth doctor staying at the same resort.
Generous donors pledged money to the family’s GoFundMe page to pay for an emergency medical plane back to Australia and for the little girl’s medical expenses.
Kawa was flown to Perth and remains in an induced coma at Princess Margaret Hospital. She is in a stable condition.
“Update on my beautiful niece, she has arrived back in Perth and now at PMH,” she wrote.
“She is in an induced coma and dr are running tests on her. Thank you all again for your support, prayers and wishes during this time. So blessed to have so much [love] come our way.”
Ms Walsh also told Perth Now: “(We’re) just so, so incredibly grateful for [the doctor] and the people around that were able to save her life.
“She’s just a happy little spirit, she’s just a bright spark that makes you smile.”
The family said any money raised through crowdfunding that is not needed for medical expenses would be donated to charity.
As Seven News reports, Kawa’s parents, Dee Tang and Desmond Sweeney, run the homewares business Kawaiian Love Shack.
In Bali, Kawa drowned in an unfenced pool. Pools without fencing are common on the Indonesian tourist destination, although there are a number of pool fence hire services to protect children. You can read more about Sydney pool fencing requirements here.
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