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Father recalls horrifying moment he accidentally ran over and killed his 15-month-old baby girl

This is so tragic...
Georgina Josephine Foundation

Peter Cockburn’s 15-month-old baby girl Georgina was killed instantly when he ran over her with his work trailer.

The father-of-four from rural NSW felt a sickening ‘bump’ on his back wheel – knowing as soon as he got out of the car that his beautiful daughter had died. 

Little Georgina was killed almost straight away from her catastrophic injuries when Peter reversed his trailer into the family’s garage in 2011.

‘I felt a bump and instantly realised it didn’t feel right,’ Peter said during an appearance on Insight.

‘I ran behind the car and I seen my little girl laying on the ground and my worst nightmare had come true.

Just seeing her there, my life just changed in that moment … I didn’t see her, and I went straight over her.’

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(Credit: Facebook)

It left Peter, his wife Emma and Georgina’s three siblings ‘utterly devastated’.

Now, eight years on, Peter wants to ensure no other parent goes through the same trauma. 

He and his wife started the Georgina Josephine Foundation,which helps other families suffering similar tragedies and educates drivers.

‘We want people to be inspired to change, not to think we are brave,’ Peter said. ‘We can’t improve the situation for us, but we can try to make it better for other people.’

Georgina Josephine Foundation
(Credit: Georgina Josephine Foundation)

The foundation also works to prevent the amount of low-speed deaths caused by vehicles in Australia, which they estimate is one per month.

In 2019 alone, nine children have died in devastatingly similar circumstances. 

‘We made a promise to Georgy we would do our best to prevent it from happening to anybody,’ Peter adds.

‘It keeps her alive for us, we don’t forget about her, the whole family helps with these events, and the kids. We treat it as spending time with Georgy even though we can’t physically be with her.’

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