A Florida family is grieving the loss of their 3-year-old daughter after authorities said she became trapped in a toy kitchen play set at a babysitter’s home.
The child, identified by relatives as Briella, died on July 27 — four days after Boynton Beach police said she was discovered unresponsive with her head lodged inside the play set.
Officers were called to the Meadows of Boynton Beach community shortly after 11 a.m. on July 23 following a report that a child was not breathing.
Police began emergency life-saving efforts at the scene before Boynton Beach Fire Rescue took the toddler to a nearby hospital. She remained in critical condition until she later died.
Briella is seen smiling in a family photo before the tragic incident that took the Florida toddler’s life. (GoFundMe)
Investigators said Briella and her sibling were being watched at a babysitter’s residence when the incident occurred.
Boynton Beach police said the babysitter had left the home and put the children in the care of the babysitter’s spouse.
The children were playing downstairs while the spouse stayed upstairs, occasionally checking on them and bringing snacks, according to police.
Briella, the 3-year-old Florida girl who died following a tragic incident at a babysitter’s home, is pictured with another child in an undated photo. (GoFundMe)
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During one of those checks, the spouse found the toddler with her head stuck inside the toy kitchen, police said.
The spouse freed the child and immediately began performing life-saving measures until first responders arrived.
Police said the child’s sibling told investigators that some of the children’s toys had fallen inside the play kitchen. The toddler apparently became trapped while trying to retrieve them.
Authorities have not announced any criminal charges, and the investigation remains ongoing.
In a GoFundMe created following Briella’s death, loved ones remembered the little girl as “a bright light in the lives of so many.”
Loved ones remembered Briella as a bright light after the 3-year-old died following a tragic incident at a Florida babysitter’s home. (GoFundMe)
“She had a kind heart, a beautiful spirit, and a smile that could light up any room,” the fundraiser said. “She touched countless lives with her love, laughter, and compassion, and the impact she made will never be forgotten.”
The fundraiser said donations will help the family cover funeral and memorial expenses as they navigate the devastating loss.
“She will forever be loved, forever missed, and forever in our hearts,” the fundraiser said.
News Outlet reached out to the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s Office for the toddler’s cause and manner of death but did not immediately receive a response.
