Mum's Warning After Toddler's Horror Trolley Accident

A traumatised mum is calling for all shopping trolleys with child restraints to be fitted with brakes, after her 17-month-old suffered a large brain bleed in a freak accident.

Casey Gobbert, from Queesland, had finished her shopping and left her daughter Millie in the trolley, while she put her three-year-old son into the car. She says she turned her back for ‘two seconds’, and the trolley was caught by a gust of wind and toppled off the kerb and tipped.

Millie’s head struck the bitumen.

“We took her straight to Logan Emergency,” Casey explained in a Facebook post.

Toddler Trolley Accident

“They monitored her, for a few hours, decided she needed a CT scan which found a large brain bleed causing pressure on her brain. She was prepped immediately. Sedated, intubated and rushed lights and sirens to the Brisbane Children’s Hospital where she was rushed straight into emergency brain surgery.”

Little Millie was in surgery for two hours, before being transferred to paediatric ICU, before being moved to the high acuity ward.

“She’s doing amazing. Had a follow up CT which showed her brain is looking great. They lowered the sedation, and took the breathing tube out. She’s flying through her tests and She’s getting stronger. She’s now trying to sit up, smiling and eating. Her cheeky self is coming through now and I can’t be happier and proud of her progress.”

Toddler Trolley Accident

Millie was released from hospital yesterday, almost a week after her accident. And Casey has now made it her mission to warn other parents just how dangerous trolleys can be. She’s also campaigning for trolleys to be fitted with a braking system.

“Prams by law have to have a brake and an arm strap. Why should a trolley be any different? If I can stop just one family from the traumatic events we have gone through in the last 48 hours then it will be worth it. No family deserves to be told their 17-month-old baby girl needs brain surgery from a simple trip.”

Some shopping trolleys in Australia do have brakes, including those with baby capsules and double seats.

Do you think trolleys should be fitted with brakes? Let us know in the comments below.

33 Comments

- - Ellen said
  - 20 May 2024
    7:41 am
So scary ! Thank God it ended well !!

- - MandaMags said
  - 29 Jul 2023
    7:29 pm
Oh that’s terrible, and it can easily happen. Trolleys are crazy.

- - Jessica said
  - 27 Feb 2023
    4:03 pm
How scary! Glad to hear she’s doing well!

- - mom111059 said
  - 18 Feb 2023
    10:55 am
Trolleys have a mind of their own. I feel so sorry for Mum and bub. Definitely a good idea to have brakes fitted to all trolleys so this never happens again. I wish them well with the recovery.

- - Ellen said
  - 18 Feb 2023
    7:24 am
Trolleys are certainly a big hazard !

- - mom223151 said
  - 17 Feb 2023
    11:54 pm
What an unfortunate and traumatic experience this lady experienced. So happy her child is doing so well. Will say a pray for her speedy recovery and God bless this family. ????

- - mom101628 said
  - 17 Feb 2023
    6:08 pm
Such a traumatising experience for this young mum. Have always disliked trolleys because they are so unstable, and I doubt brakes would help the instability. The way the trolleys are kept I doubt the brakes would work for long or they would completely seize up making them unusable. Don’t know the answer for this situation long term.

- - mom486197 said
  - 17 Feb 2023
    2:39 pm
Omg how scary, so glad Millie is recovery well.

- - Ellen said
  - 17 Feb 2023
    8:57 am
Thank God Millie made such a good & speedy recovery ! Breaks on trolleys is definitely a good idea !

- - cassy26 said
  - 17 Feb 2023
    8:51 am
Oh this is so scary. So glad she’s recovering well.

- - TraceyGail said
  - 17 Feb 2023
    6:51 am
Such an easy thing to happen. I hope she makes a full recovery.

- - CrystalG said
  - 16 Feb 2023
    3:02 pm
Omg! This is horrifying. Sending so much love to the family.
So scary that this could happen to anyone at any time.

- - tessie said
  - 16 Feb 2023
    12:50 pm
I’m so glad that she is going to be okay. Such a traumatising event for all concerned. Such a little cutie and a lovely smile. I agree with you about the trolleys, they should all have a brake system.

- - mom486400 said
  - 16 Feb 2023
    12:11 pm
My heart goes out to the family. I definitely agree with her regarding the breaks and all shopping trolleys should be fitted with it. There has been a few moments where my trolley started rolling off in the carpark with my child strapped in it and all it took was me putting some things in the car boot.

- - MummaD said
  - 16 Feb 2023
    9:46 am
Poor little one and how stressful for the mum (and the rest of the family.)

- - rovermum said
  - 16 Feb 2023
    9:23 am
What a tragic and freak accident. Because of this accident, I would absolutely say yes to brakes. However, it’s then on you to always remember to put the brakes on.

- - shocolatmoose said
  - 16 Feb 2023
    8:56 am
How scary, all trolleys should have brakes anyway as most of the time I have to chock mine against the car or with a shoe while I unload it, even when I dont have my son with me. They can just escape all on their own and roll away!

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 16 Feb 2023
    7:20 am
I think brakes would be useful without even having a child- the amount of times they roll away when you’re trying to unload groceries as car parks are slanted…
- mom93821 replied
  
  18 Feb 2023 , 5:40 am
  We always park where we can wedge the trolley.
- - mom489365 said
  - 16 Feb 2023
    7:16 am
Trolleys should be fitted with brakes. I’ve said it forever. With or without kids they are dangerous as well as can cause damage to cars or other people walking by.

- - Bizma said
  - 16 Feb 2023
    6:26 am
Trolleys are dangerous! I have seen many tumble over with little ones inside. Glad this bub is ok