THE heartbroken parents of a "beautiful" baby girl killed in a church car park after a bible reading class have told of their devastation.
The cherished one-year-old - named Ivy Mae - is understood to have been “toddling” in the grounds of Plymouth Brethren Christian Church in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire yesterday evening when she was struck by a Land Rover.
She was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary but died a short time later.
The driver of the car, a 40-year-old man, was uninjured.
The tot’s death has sparked an outpouring of grief among the congregation and the wider community.
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Her heartbroken parents Holly and Glenn said in a statement: “We can confirm that our beautiful daughter Ivy Mae passed away following a tragic accident last evening after our regular church gathering in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire.
“We are absolutely devastated and ask that our privacy is respected at this challenging time. We value all the prayers and messages of sympathy and support we have received from the local community.
"The emergency services tireless work and support is greatly appreciated.”
Rod Buckley, a member of Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, said: “Sadly, we can confirm that an incident at the Plymouth Brethren Meeting Hall car park in Balmedie involving a single vehicle and a young child happened last evening.
“The young child was tragically pronounced dead after being taken to hospital.
“We are a very supportive church, and we are giving the family and friends of the people involved in the accident the help they need.
“On behalf of the church, I would like to thank the emergency first responders who have been very professional and compassionate in their response.”
Today, the gates of the church were closed and throughout the day people turned up to lay floral tributes.
One local said: “It really is heartbreaking that a young child has lost their life like this.
“I passed the scene on Wednesday night and knew it was something serious with the number of emergency services.
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“It was really busy last night. The car park looked almost full.
“It’s a real tragedy for everyone involved.”
Another woman, who lay flowers, said: “It is heartbreaking that a young girl died. She was just a baby.
“I really feel for her family. It’s tragic.”
Local councillor Andrew Hassan said that “sadness” would be felt across the whole area.
He said: “I was saddened to hear of the incident beside the church last night, and send my condolences to the family - and those close friends whom were leaving the building at the time.
“The Belhelvie parish is relatively close-knit, and I know the sadness will be reflected across the whole area.”
The Plymouth Brethren is an evangelical Christian church which was established in the early 19th Century.
Members follow a rigid code of practice and the church says it is very family-centred.
Insp Scott Deans of Police Scotland said: “At this time, our thoughts are with the family of the deceased, along with everyone else affected by this tragic incident.
“Our investigation into the circumstances remain ongoing and we’d like to thank the wider Balmedie community for their patience and understanding as officers carry out their inquiries in the area.”
