TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains graphic details of an injury. If you’re easily triggered by this, we highly recommend that you skip this one for now. Thank you!

One Sydney mum has spoken up about a gut-wrenching ordeal after what was a supposedly fun trip to her local shopping centre turned into every parent’s worst nightmare.

Anora Fairchild and her young son Lewis rode an escalator at Broadway shopping centre on Saturday. Naturally, Lewis held onto the rail, but a sharp metal piece sticking out of it sliced the little boy’s thumb off.

“Lewis was crying. He held his hand out and it was bloody,” Anora said. “It yanked out his tendons and went through the bone – it was hacked, it was not a clean job.”

Lewis was immediately rushed to Sydney Children’s Hospital where he underwent an operation for hours.

Image Credit: Daily Mail​

Unfortunately, the doctors weren’t able to save his thumb due to the severe damage caused by the escalator.

Anora warned fellow parents to be extra mindful of unforeseen dangers. She also called out shopping centres in hopes to urge them to start conducting regular inspections of their escalators.

“My family has suffered an unspeakable amount of heartache. Lewis will likely live the rest of his life without using his right thumb,” she said. ”We could not have ever imagined a quick trip to our local shopping centre would be our worst nightmare that we can’t wake up from.”

Image Credit: 7News​

Lewis is currently in recovery back at their home but he still needs intensive physiotherapy. He’s also facing the possibility of a second surgery.

The shopping centre, Broadway Sydney, responded to the incident in a statement, saying: “Our thoughts are with the child and his family. The health and safety of all of our customers and staff remain our highest priority.”

“We have tried to make contact with the family following the incident. We are undertaking an extensive investigation into the incident and working with the authorities.”

Child safety experts said this is the first time they’ve seen a case like this before.

“It’s shocking and it’s something you would not predict. How could the family have predicted it? It’s truly an unintentional accident,” one expert said.

What are your thoughts on this article? Share them with us in the comments!

Want to learn more about this story? Watch the video below:

Video Credit: 7News​

 

[Lynette Finnigan]

I wonder if there had been some tampering with the escalator?? I remember some idiot lads had jumped up and swung on a sign in the shopping centre...later it fell on a small child and killed her!! Of course the shop owner and shopping centre were charged and paid fines and compensation to the family....but that doesn't bring back the innocent child and the real culprits, I don't think they were even caught, so no consequences at all!!!

 

[JayKay]

Poor little boy.
He will no doubt face life-long difficulties, but will probably adapt quickly.
Looks like his right hand....hope he's left-handed.
A thumb is a very important digit.....for grip etc.
Sometimes a missing thumb is replaced by a big toe.

 

[Ricci]

There are so many harrowing stories out there. Unfortunately you can't wrap your child in cotton wool for the duration of their childhood, you have to just bite the bullet and let them go. Accidents will happen and this was a very unfortunate one, luck it wasn't a damn sight worse.

 

[zevon1956]

Toddler’s thumb SEVERED in a nightmarish tragedy involving an escalator at a shopping centre – “An unspeakable amount of heartache.”​

TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains graphic details of an injury. If you’re easily triggered by this, we highly recommend that you skip this one for now. Thank you!

One Sydney mum has spoken up about a gut-wrenching ordeal after what was a supposedly fun trip to her local shopping centre turned into every parent’s worst nightmare.

Anora Fairchild and her young son Lewis rode an escalator at Broadway shopping centre on Saturday. Naturally, Lewis held onto the rail, but a sharp metal piece sticking out of it sliced the little boy’s thumb off.

“Lewis was crying. He held his hand out and it was bloody,” Anora said. “It yanked out his tendons and went through the bone – it was hacked, it was not a clean job.”

Lewis was immediately rushed to Sydney Children’s Hospital where he underwent an operation for hours.

Image Credit: Daily Mail​

Unfortunately, the doctors weren’t able to save his thumb due to the severe damage caused by the escalator.

Anora warned fellow parents to be extra mindful of unforeseen dangers. She also called out shopping centres in hopes to urge them to start conducting regular inspections of their escalators.

“My family has suffered an unspeakable amount of heartache. Lewis will likely live the rest of his life without using his right thumb,” she said. ”We could not have ever imagined a quick trip to our local shopping centre would be our worst nightmare that we can’t wake up from.”

Image Credit: 7News​

Lewis is currently in recovery back at their home but he still needs intensive physiotherapy. He’s also facing the possibility of a second surgery.

The shopping centre, Broadway Sydney, responded to the incident in a statement, saying: “Our thoughts are with the child and his family. The health and safety of all of our customers and staff remain our highest priority.”

“We have tried to make contact with the family following the incident. We are undertaking an extensive investigation into the incident and working with the authorities.”

Child safety experts said this is the first time they’ve seen a case like this before.

“It’s shocking and it’s something you would not predict. How could the family have predicted it? It’s truly an unintentional accident,” one expert said.

What are your thoughts on this article? Share them with us in the comments!

Want to learn more about this story? Watch the video below:

Video Credit: 7News​

Toddler’s thumb SEVERED in a nightmarish tragedy involving an escalator at a shopping centre – “An unspeakable amount of heartache.”​

TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains graphic details of an injury. If you’re easily triggered by this, we highly recommend that you skip this one for now. Thank you!

One Sydney mum has spoken up about a gut-wrenching ordeal after what was a supposedly fun trip to her local shopping centre turned into every parent’s worst nightmare.

Anora Fairchild and her young son Lewis rode an escalator at Broadway shopping centre on Saturday. Naturally, Lewis held onto the rail, but a sharp metal piece sticking out of it sliced the little boy’s thumb off.

“Lewis was crying. He held his hand out and it was bloody,” Anora said. “It yanked out his tendons and went through the bone – it was hacked, it was not a clean job.”

Lewis was immediately rushed to Sydney Children’s Hospital where he underwent an operation for hours.

Image Credit: Daily Mail​

Unfortunately, the doctors weren’t able to save his thumb due to the severe damage caused by the escalator.

Anora warned fellow parents to be extra mindful of unforeseen dangers. She also called out shopping centres in hopes to urge them to start conducting regular inspections of their escalators.

“My family has suffered an unspeakable amount of heartache. Lewis will likely live the rest of his life without using his right thumb,” she said. ”We could not have ever imagined a quick trip to our local shopping centre would be our worst nightmare that we can’t wake up from.”

Image Credit: 7News​

Lewis is currently in recovery back at their home but he still needs intensive physiotherapy. He’s also facing the possibility of a second surgery.

The shopping centre, Broadway Sydney, responded to the incident in a statement, saying: “Our thoughts are with the child and his family. The health and safety of all of our customers and staff remain our highest priority.”

“We have tried to make contact with the family following the incident. We are undertaking an extensive investigation into the incident and working with the authorities.”

Child safety experts said this is the first time they’ve seen a case like this before.

“It’s shocking and it’s something you would not predict. How could the family have predicted it? It’s truly an unintentional accident,” one expert said.

What are your thoughts on this article? Share them with us in the comments!

Want to learn more about this story? Watch the video below:

Video Credit: 7News​

Always wary of these things when the first thing a complainant does is go to the media. Clearly there is a fault with the escalator and the insurers will work out a settlement. I am tired of this sensationalist nonsense. Sympathy to the child.

 

[RTS]

The parents need to retain a good solicitor. Loss of a thumb is a horrific accident and will impede this child all his life.