SAT . From Holiday Joy to Heartbreak: The 2-Year-Old Girl Who Never Made It Past Christmas Dinner.

NEED TO KNOW

• A 2-year-old girl died after falling into a pond in her family’s garden just moments after she wandered away from their Christmas celebrations on Dec. 25
• Isobel Wallace’s mother said her daughter “lived more in her two years than some children did in a lifetime”
• A GoFundMe has since been set up for the young child’s family to cover funeral expenses and create a memorial fairy garden

A 2-year-old girl died after she fell into a pond during a family Christmas gathering. 

Isobel Wallace died on Christmas Day on Thursday, Dec. 25, her aunt, Abigail Maxwell, wrote in a GoFundMe page, which has been set up to help the child’s parents, Tamara and Aaron, cover funeral expenses and create a memorial fairy garden for their late daughter.

Maxwell said Isobel wandered away from the family’s Christmas celebrations in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, and fell into the pond in a nearby garden just moments later.

“It is extremely hard for me to try and communicate this and go over this living nightmare of our innocent darling girl [being] taken from us,” Maxwell wrote. “… We couldn’t find her for a moment and in that moment, she’s gone in the garden and fell in the pond.”

Isobel was described by her aunt as “the happiest, smiliest, most adventurous and curious little girl.”

The family member said the pond where the child died had “a temporary fence around it, in a garden she would never have accessed by herself.” (Isobel’s family was staying at the house while their “forever home” was in the middle of renovations, the aunt explained.)

After the fall, Maxwell said the family performed CPR on Isobel until an ambulance arrived. The 2-year-old was then taken to a nearby hospital, but the family member said Isobel “sadly couldn’t be saved.”

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“Aaron, Tamara, the whole family and everyone who knows of Isobel … all of us are absolutely heartbroken,” Maxwell wrote in the GoFundMe page. “As you can imagine, this is the worst possible thing that could ever happen to parents, to lose their baby.”

“She was so happy, so loved and they were the best parents who gave her the most wonderful life,” the aunt continued.

On Dec. 28, Tamara shared a social media tribute for her late daughter, thanking their local community for their support and for showing “no [judgment] for the tragic accident.”

“Everyone who knows Isobel and us knows how gifted she was and that she lived more in her two years than some children did in a lifetime,” the mom wrote on Facebook. “We also want people to remember Isobel for the magic girl she was and the adventure and fire she had in her soul and how much light she brought, not for her sad passing.”

“We will raise her baby brother the same way and he will know he has a sister and that she is and will continue to be amazing,” Tamara added. “… She will be Mummy and daddy’s Christmas angel she will ALWAYS be [a part] of us.”

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1. Comment by Megan.MeMegan17 hrs agoFor everyone judging, if you actually READ the GoFundMe, she was playing INSIDE the house with another child surrounded by family when they couldn’t find her for a moment. They didn’t think she could access the garden by herself or especially the pond. Accidents happen. Tragic ones. I feel for this family. Sending strength and prayers. Not judgement.reply 1 1sharereport
2. Comment by Katie.KaKatie20 hrs agoThats so sadreply 5 0sharereport
3. Comment by Georgy.GeGeorgy23 hrs agoI can’t imagine the heartbreak – so sorry for their loss.reply 6 0sharereport
4. Comment by BigBrownEyes :).B:BigBrownEyes :)1 day agoPrayers for beautiful Isobel’s young life; her shining spirit is with the angels!reply 5 0sharereport
5. Comment by MARCIAANN.MAMARCIAANN1 day agoSO TRAGIC. THIS BROKE MY HEART. ONLY 2 YEARS OLD. AT LEAST YOU HAVE TWO YEARS OF BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES OF YOUR BELOVED ISOBEL.MAY YOUR PRECIOUS DAUGHTER FOREVER REST IN PEACE.I HOPE THAT HER PARENTS AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS WILL ENJOY GOOD HEALTH AND RENEWED HAPPINESS IN 2026 AND ALWAYS.GOD BLESS.reply 4 3sharereport
6. Hidden comment.content deactivated1 reply
   • Reply by Meg44.MeMeg441 day agoReply to OneWomanGive me a break. At a busy family gathering, you aren’t watching your kid constantly. Even at home you can’t watch them constantly. Also the more people around the harder it is. At home you can hear them and know what’s going on but in a busy place you can’t. They may not have even been aware there was a pond. It is possible for tragedies to occur and no one is at fault.reply 16 9sharereport
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   • Reply by Meg44.MeMeg441 day agoReply to DennyThey can’t really help it if people want to donate though.reply 4 0sharereport
8. Hidden comment.content removed1 reply
   • Reply by Goldeneye.GoGoldeneye1 day agoReply to debbieWhat makes you think the fairy garden isn’t being put at the new house?reply 4 1sharereport
9. Hidden comment.content deactivated2 replies11 older replyshow older replies
   • Reply by Meg44.MeMeg441 day agoReply to AndreaUm, it’s impossible to watch busy toddlers constantly, especially at a family gathering with so many people. You can lose sight for just 2 minutes and then they’re gone. Or you can think they’re with their other parent. And if you don’t know which way they went, that sets you back even more time. Drowning can happen quickly. editedreply 6 6sharereport
10. Comment by jim.jijim1 day agoI may have many of the same questions but if there is no proven neglect and this is a tragic accident my heart goes out to these parents. We lost a child under tragic circumstances over 30 years ago and the heartache never goes away. I would ask for kindness over cruelty in judging these parents. WE are not THE judge!reply3 replies 25 0sharereport22 older repliesshow older replies
    • Reply by jim.jijim20 hrs agoReply to jimThank you for your empathy Katie. A tragedy like this one triggers a flashback, despite the joy that we have experienced through our other children. We were always a family of 5- even when there were only four places at the table.reply 5 0sharereport

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