“Her mum remains by her side, while the rest of the family is distraught and urgently needs tautoko [support]. With this tragedy, mum and dad have other tamariki to attend to,” the page creator wrote.
To still be with their “precious taonga” while she was “fighting to stay with us”, they would need support from everyone in case the father and siblings needed to fly to Auckland.
People are asked to donate to the Givealittle to “help carry the burden of being in this heavy mamae [pain]”.
“The expenses are the last thing on your mind in these moments.
“Layla-Mae is a beloved daughter, sister, mokopuna, and niece, deeply cherished by her whānau and wider whānau. Any koha, no matter the size, would mean the world to us; if you are unable to give, we humbly ask for your prayers, aroha, and support as we stand together for Laylah-Mae.”
The Givealittle page has been shared to social media, asking friends to open their hearts and minds to Laylah-Mae’s parents.
“Please be kind and loving, it can literally happen to anybody.”
South End School also shared the page on Facebook, saying they were “deeply saddened” the family had experienced “a devastating accident at home”.
“Their precious Laylah-Mae was involved in a serious drowning incident and is now fighting for her life in hospital. Her mum is by her side, and the whole family is heartbroken during this unimaginably difficult time,” the post said.
“Every koha, no matter the size, will make a real difference for their whānau as they navigate this challenging journey. And if you’re unable to donate, sharing the link with others means so much too.
“Please keep Laylah-Mae and her whānau in your thoughts, and let’s surround them with aroha and support from our South End School community.”
Principal Kim Lupo told the Herald the family have been with South End school for a number of years, with a couple of children attending the primary school.
She said they would do “whatever we can do to support them”, and they were saddened to know one of their families had experienced something “so devastating”.
Laylah-Mae’s mother has shared a single post on Facebook since the incident, simply saying “pray for my baby please”.
A police spokeswoman confirmed officers were called to the Wairarapa address about 2.30pm on Wednesday to reports of a drowning.
“One person was injured and taken to hospital, but is now stable,” she said.
Wellington Free Ambulance also attended the incident but would not provide further comment.
Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 12 years.
