A four-year-old girl died tragically when a large iron gate crashed down on her head.
Little Carly Josephs from Delft was visiting her ouma in Heideveld over the weekend when the freak accident occurred.
The heartbroken ouma, Rachel Theunis, 65, was left traumatised after she rushed to the toddler’s aid, but could not make it in time.
Carly’s aunt, Carol Philander, 55, says the family was further upset by incorrect reports on social media claiming the family had taken the driveway gate off the track due to load shedding.
GONE TO SOON: Carly Josephs was a cute and bubbly little girl
On Saturday night, she says, ouma Rachel, along with Carly and her seven-year-old sister, arrived at her home in Waterberg Road shortly after 8pm.
Carol explains: “Carly was going to attend her cousin’s birthday the next day. Her ouma had pulled into the garage. She gave them Pine cleaner to take inside the house.
“She did not see the girls closing the gate and they closed it too hard and it came off the rails.
“It is not an automated sliding gate, as you can see there is no motor.
“I heard the screams and we ran out and we saw Rachel trying to lift the gate.
“The gate crushed her (Carly’s) head and she was lying flat on her back. Blood came out of her mouth, ears and nose, and she just jerked and she was gone.”
Carol says when paramedics arrived, she was declared dead on the scene.
TRAUMA: Gate fell from the rails onto Carly’s head
Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut says an inquest docket was opened and the circumstances are being investigated.
Carol says the grief-stricken family was left furious when incorrect reports, along with pictures of Carly, surfaced on social media.
“They are saying it was load shedding and we took the gates off the rails, but this gate does not have a motor and it was not load shedding.
“We are furious because of people saying stuff and they never asked us anything.
“Carly was not playing outside. When Rachel turned around and saw the gate fall, she tried to rush to stop the gate from falling on her, but did not make it in time.
“Carly was a very bubbly and intelligent child. We all love her very much.”