The family of a three-year-old Australian girl have made the agonising decision to switch off their daughter’s life support, after she was pulled unconscious from a pool in Bali at the weekend.
Kawa Sweeney’s parents, Desmond Sweeney and Dee Tang, released a statement to the media confirming their daughter had “lost her battle” for life.
“Unfortunately, in spite of all the hopes and prayers Kawa has lost her battle,” family spokeswoman Pearl Tan said on Thursday.
“The family are saying goodbye today.”
The family, from Newport on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, also thanked all those who supported their daughter after the tragic accident.
“We would like to thank everyone who has gone above and beyond in all of this.”
“Thank you to Grant and Kelly, everyone who helped us in Bali, the medivac team, the doctors and the incredible nurses at Princess Margaret Hospital in the PICU who have been with us 24/7 since arriving in Perth.”
“Thank you to everyone who has supported us with their thoughts, prayers, love and donations.”
Kawa was pulled unconscious from an unfenced pool in Bali on Sunday.
She was resuscitated by a Perth doctor who was staying at the same resort and airlifted to Perth’s Princess Margaret Hospital for treatment.
On Tuesday, Tan confirmed that Kawa was pronounced brain dead by doctors.
“They ran those tests and Kawa was unresponsive,” she said.
“There’s a lot of disbelief I guess that this has happened and it’s quite difficult to think beyond the next five minutes right now really so I know that the family are just talking and considering what to do next but yeah it’s a pretty tough situation.”
A GoFundMe page established to help pay for Kawa’s medical bills has raised more than $85,000 for the family – $42,000 of which was used to fly the toddler to hospital in Perth.
The family said any surplus funds will be donated to charity.
