A little girl is believed to have saved the life of her baby brother in a car crash that tragically killed their parents on Christmas Day.
The five-year-old girl and her two brothers - aged one and two - were trapped in the vehicle for 55 hours after it came off the road in Kondinin, in the Wheatbelt area of Australia.
Cindy Braddock, 25, and Jake Day, 28, were tragically killed in the accident, which happened on Sunday morning. The family had been travelling home from a Christmas Eve party when the accident occurred.
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The children weren't found until the Tuesday, when the vehicle was discovered by a family member.
Mr Day's cousin, Michael Read, explained how the little girl saved her brother's life by unbuckling his car seat.
“What I’ve gathered is the five-year-old became unstuck in the vehicle and she then got the one-year-old out of the car seat, then they were stuck in the car for 55 hours in 30C heat," he told ABC.
“It would have been hard for the three children to be in the car for that whole time. Nobody knows what they went through.
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“And if it wasn’t for the five-year-old undoing the buckle of the one-year old’s car seat, he wouldn’t be with us today.
“But all the kids are doing fine. They should be out within the next couple of days.
“It is hard, having three kids now growing up with nobody. Apart from other family members. We’re going bit by bit at the moment.”
Mr Read added: "Don't drive tired. If you're going to want to be somewhere, just stay the night at your family."
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A GoFundMe page has since been set up for the family.
It explains: "I am raising funds for the Children of Jake Day and Cindy Braddock who were involved in a fatal car accident in Western Austrlia on Christmas morning, with their three children.
"Devastatingly Jake and Cindy did not survive the accident but an angel was looking over the kids as it was a miracle their beautiful babies survived for over two days in Australian outback before being rescued.
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"The children are currently in hospital with family and are all doing okay considering the circumstances.
"All funds raised will help the family of Jake and Cindy with the costs of funerals and the remaining will go to the children to help with any medical and life expenses."
So far, $72,000 AUD (£40,400) has been raised for the children. You can donate here.
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Lucy Devine