‘I Will Live With The Guilt For The Rest Of My Life’: Mother Blames Her ‘Stupidity’ After Her Two-year-old Daughter Died Strapped In Her Car Seat When Her Car Rolled Into A River 

A child has died after being pulled from a car found in a river near her family’s outdoor pursuits business. Kiara Moore, two, was found in the River Teifi in Cardigan on Monday.Her father said she had been left in the car while the driver got cash from the office. When the driver returned, the car was missing and initially feared stolen. A large police search followed and the car was found in the water just under two hours later, with Kiara inside.In a Facebook post, which has since been deleted, her father Jet Moore suggested Kiara’s death was an accident after the car had rolled down a slipway into the river. Her mother, Kim Rowlands, also posted on Facebook that her “beautiful baby girl” had died, adding: “Due to my own stupidity, I will have to live with the guilt for the rest of my life. Mummy loves you baby girl and I’m so sorry.” The post has also since been deleted.Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed it was not looking for anyone else in connection with its investigation. It had followed fears shortly after Kiara was discovered missing that the car had been stolen with her inside, after social media posts were made by her mother appealing for information. During the two-hour search, Dyfed-Powys Police appealed for sightings of the car and later confirmed it had been found in the river with Kiara inside. She was pulled from the car by police officers and airlifted to hospital but later died. The coroner has been informed of Kiara’s death. The little girl would have celebrated her third birthday next Tuesday.In the Facebook statement, her father wrote: “They got in the car to go home. Sat on bank card which snapped and needed money to get home etc. Went back to the office to get money from the desk and came back to no car. Looked in the river. No signs. So we thought she and the car had been taken.” He said police had found the car a while later and “went way beyond the call of duty jumping in and pulling her out”. “They tried to revive her for hours but unfortunately could not,” he added.Police said they first received a call “as to the whereabouts of a silver Mini” which had been last seen at the old Scout Hall, near the river, at about 15:30 GMT on Monday. At the height of the search there were 30 emergency service personnel from police, fire and coastguard units in Cardigan. A search of the river continued into the evening after Kiara was found. In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Dyfed-Powys Police said Kiara had died and her family were being supported by specialist officers.Mr Moore later posted on Facebook, saying: “Thank you all for your help this evening. A mega thank you the officers who jumped in the river and the rest of the emergency services for all they did. Unfortunately Kiara had an amazing but short life.”In a tribute to his daughter he wrote: “She was an incredible happy young girl who lived I hope a great adventurous fun life. And may have done more than most people. Been skiing twice and skied her self. Paddled the great glen Scotland. Paddles the Wye. Played on every beach we could. Had a loving family and made us all happy. She always wanted to be called RAR RAR which was our nickname for her. Love her so much.”Dozens of people posted messages of condolence on Facebook to Mr Moore and Kiara’s mother Kim Rowlands. The couple run an outdoor pursuits business, Adventure Beyond, which has a booking office at the old Scout hall next to where the car was last seen. Ola Kowlaow was passing by the scene when she said she saw a woman in distress. “My son say ‘mommy she’s crying’,” she said, adding she had asked what had happened. “[The woman] said ‘Someone’s kidnapped my kids [sic], my daughter in the car.”Ms Kowlaow said she had checked but had seen nothing, before the woman had “just run”. Kiara’s death has been described by local people as “an utter tragedy”. Noel Lewis said of the little girl: “Kiara was the most wonderful little girl. She was always playing out here with her little dog. Her parents run an outdoor adventure business the other side of the slipway. I’d often see them taking Kiara out on the river in a canoe. She always had a life jacket on when she was in the canoe with them. They’re a lovely family, always smiling and having fun together.”Dyfed-Powys Police’s Deputy Chief Constable Darren Davies tweeted: “Tragic outcome and sincerest condolences to the family. Incredible bravery and selflessness shown by officers who entered the water and rescued the child.”Photo Credit: Getty

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