2-year-old thrown to safety by dad in accident that left her mother critical

Ayla, 2, could have lost her life if it wasn’t for the “hero(ic)” efforts from her father. The family from Southern England’s Gloucestershire, like many others, were out camping while at a festival – Conscious Tribal Gathering – in north Wales. Little did they know about the horror that was “careering” towards them. While the three – father Stephen O’Neill, wife Jenna, and daughter Ayla – were enjoying the outing, an unoccupied vehicle rolled downhill over a tent at a campsite near Corwen. 

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The result – wife is critical in hospital, the father has fractured ankle, and the daughter has had a miraculous escape, thanks to her father.

How did it happen

The family, according to them, were sitting outside their tent enjoying the sunshine, having lunch. The camping fields were on a sharp incline and the O’Neil family, like others, camped at the bottom as it was the only shaded area.

“Soon after, a neighbouring tent got our attention and just shouted ‘move out the way’ and looked worried and confused,” Stephen O’Neil told BBC, adding that “At that moment I just felt desperation to help Ayla and it felt like there wasn’t much time between the neighbour seeing the car and us being hit.”

“I watched it roll down the hill and thought ‘oh my God, my family is under the car’ – I just thought they had died and my life was ruined,” he said

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But it wasn’t the time to think but to act and he did just that.

“My two-and-a-half-year-old toddler only survived this incident because my husband threw her out of the way of the car as it careered down the road,” said Jenna O’Neill, who is being treated at a hospital in Stoke.

“He’s a hero. Things would be very different if it wasn’t for his quick-thinking and fast actions,” she added.

Jenna is in hospital with a broken collar bone, 10 broken ribs, and a fractured pelvis, as well as damage to her liver and spleen.

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Accident or mismanagement?

Jeena said that she “has no doubt” that the accident could have been avoided, only if the festival’s rules had been adhered to.

“In these guidelines from the festival website, it clearly states that cars must be parked in designated areas after unloading and kept away from hilly inclines – particularly not facing down the hill,” she said, adding that it wasn’t the case though.

She also alleged that organisers didn’t seem to put much effort into imposing these restrictions.

“There were multiple cars in the camping areas, many of which, including vans, were at the top of the hill facing down,” she told BBC.

A spokesman at the festival site told BBC Wales organisers could not comment at this stage.