Toddler cracks skull 'from front to back' after falling out two-storey window
Athena Blackburn, 3, suffered severe brain injuries and fractured both her skull and spine from the fall.
A toddler has fallen from a two-storey window while eagerly awaiting the arrival of takeaway pizza, landing on her head which cracked "from front to back".
Athena Blackburn, 3, fell onto the concrete driveway where two of her siblings were playing and loud screams alerted their mum Stephanie, 31, while she was in the bathroom. It is believed the window screen was not installed properly.
In utter panic, Stephanie scooped her daughter up and ran towards the local hospital in walking distance of their home in Casino in the NSW Northern Rivers. Her older brother ran ahead to get help from hospital staff. After her mum had to reportedly stop to perform CPR on Athena — and suffered an asthma attack herself — medical staff quickly came to the family's aid.
Toddler out of coma but faces a long recovery
Athena was transported to Gold Coast University Hospital and was put into an induced coma after the fall caused a severe brain injury with both her skull and spine fractured. Doctors reportedly only woke the toddler up for a few minutes at a time to check if her brain was still responsive.
Despite her horrific injuries, Athena was able to recall her siblings' names after six days and has showed promising signs of recovery after the accident at the beginning of the month.
The family have since shared images of the three-year-old enjoying an icy pole in her hospital bed and going for a walk, showing promising signs of recovery.
However, it is expected she will be in hospital for several months, with the family hoping to relocate to be closer to her during her recovery.
A GoFundMe page has been created to raise money for the family and help them find accommodation.
"Athena, she is soldering on like a champ! We’re all cheering you on miss Athena. We can’t wait to see you progress and meet more milestones," a loved one posted online.
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