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Mum and sons witness full horror as car kills tot

Alex Scapens
2/ 7/2008

A HEARTBROKEN mum is trying to pick up the pieces of her family’s life, after her young sons saw their little sister crushed under the wheels of a neighbour’s car.

Sienna O’Hara, two, was killed as she stood, unseen on the pavement, as a neighbour was reversing out of her drive on Thursday morning at 9am.

Sienna’s mum Michelle Newton had been getting her children ready for school, and was strapping five-year-old Jackson into a friend’s car, when she took her eyes off the toddler for a split second - and tragedy struck.

She looked back up in horror, as the terrible accident unfolded before her eyes, and those of Sienna’s seven-year-old brother Brandon, who was on the pavement of the quiet cul-de-sac in Denton.

The family, including step-dad Jason Burton, had only moved there four months ago from Northumberland Road, Brinnington, and Sienna visited her playgroup friends at Brinnington Children’s Centre twice a week.

Devastated Michelle said this week: "I’d looked away for a split second, she was by my side then I heard a scream and looked round and saw it happen. The kids witnessed it all, they haven’t really talked about it much. It’s horrible to know they saw it, that’s the image they are going to have of her at the moment. 

"Sienna was a sweet, cheeky little girl. She went to play group twice a week and loved it, she made a lot of friends there. She walked round singing and would bring pictures home, she was really proud of them."

Paramedics treated Sienna at the scene, and she was rushed to Tameside Hospital but doctors could not save her.

In a joint statement the family, including Sienna’s dad Peter O’Hara and grandparents, said: "We have all been left devastated by her death and are struggling to come to terms with what has happened. Sienna would often wake up her brothers and get them to make her breakfast. She was loving and caring."

Michelle hopes the family can move bcak to the close-knit Brinnington community where many of her friends and family live.

Rachel Lewis, headteacher at Brinnington Children’s Centre, said pupils and parents would be able to talk to a counsellor and a memorial garden would be opened in Sienna’s honour.

She added: "Sienna was a caring, happy and bubbly girl who always enjoyed singing. We are all deeply upset and our love and thoughts are with the family."

Floral tributes have been left outside the home - which Michelle and Jason have thanked people for, describing them as a comfort.

One, from ‘nanna and granbob’, reads: "To our little angel the light of our lives you will always be in our hearts."

Another from ‘Darren and Hayley’ says: "We will never forget the times we used to play together."

Martin Henderson, headteacher at Westmorland Primary, where Brandon is a pupil added: "Pupils and staff are supporting Michelle and her two sons at this tragic time."

The driver of the car was treated for shock. Police are investigating the accident and witnesses can call 856 8473.