Minsterley tragedy: Passer-by tells of battle to save toddler Stelios
Passers-by have revealed how they desperately fought to save the life of 19-month-old Stelios Karsas.
Young Stelios was killed in a tragic accident on a garage forecourt in Minsterley last Thursday.
It is believed he was accidentally run over by his father who was driving the family’s Hyundai Santa Fe 4x4.
The toddler’s mother, Mirasol, saw the accident take place and watched while passers-by tried to save the youngster’s life.
He was declared dead at the scene outside the family’s Friends Fish and Chip Shop at just after 11am on Thursday. It is thought his father – also called Stelios – had reversed into him on the forecourt of the petrol station.
Nursing home carer Simon Jones was passing the scene and he and a colleague performed CPR in a desperate attempt to keep him alive until an ambulance could arrive.
Simon said: “Nothing can prepare you for what I saw that day.
“When I arrived a colleague of mine was already there. Her husband waved me over and suddenly I saw the little boy lying on his side.
“I turned him with my colleague’s assistance slightly more on his side to clear his airway. Another lady behind me was on the phone to the ambulance operator, who told us we had to start CPR.
“My colleague assisted by doing the compressions while I concentrated on the breaths, and we did this until the ambulance arrived. His mum was there and she was in bits but once we started CPR everything else became background noise. It made me feel useless in all truth. I’m properly broken and I can’t close my eyes without seeing his face.
“I’m so sorry I couldn’t do more. I’ll always think of him even though I never knew him.”
More on the tragedy:
A growing pile of bouquets and teddy bears along with paper angels and wreaths have been left at the scene by distraught villagers. His parents, who have been married for four years and have two other children were comforting each other at their family home on the outskirts of Shrewsbury. Mirasol said: “It is an incredibly tough time.”
A family friend added: “I’ve spoken to Mirasol. She cannot accept what has happened. It is hard to explain what her husband is going through. I hope they will get over it.”
West Mercia Police have appealed for witnesses to the incident to call 101, quoting incident number 245s of December 21.
