Truck horror: German au pair loses her life as baby survives

A MIRACLE, a tragedy, life and death — the drama that unfolded on Main Street, Carrigaline, Co Cork, yesterday left many in tears, most in shock, and a town in grief.

Bystanders watched in horror as a young German au pair was crushed to death under the wheels of a truck while trying to save 13-month-old Maedbh Bosteels.

Named locally as Nicole, the au pair is believed to have celebrated her 20th birthday recently. She arrived in Ireland at the end of last summer.

She was looking after Maedbh, daughter of Fionnuala, a solicitor and Dom Bosteels, a Belgian, from 5 Carrigmore, an estate on the Cork side of the town.

The Bosteels have one other child, John, aged eight.

Nicole was walking down Main Street at 9.40am yesterday, wheeling the child in her buggy, when a large delivery truck pulled out from the car park adjacent to Supervalu onto Main Street.

A witness said the truck caught the child’s buggy as it passed and the au pair was dragged beneath as she hung on desperately.

A local postman, who does not wish to be named, was just finishing his round when he heard a scream.

“I couldn’t see what was happening because I was behind a parked truck, but when I came out from behind the truck, I saw a woman lying on the road.

“There was no point in staying with her, she was beyond help, so I headed towards the commotion at the front of the truck. On my way, I saw a buggy trapped under it. I got down on my knees and saw a baby.

“I reached out and as I did I could see a hand opening the clasp that held the child in. I don’t know who that was, but I knew I could slide the child out from the angle I was in. I took her out and stayed with her for the next two hours.”

Judy Coughlan, who works in Foreign A Fares travel agents in Carrigaline, was travelling with her brother-in-law, Ahmed Tekinkus, in the car just ahead of the accident.

“He was dropping me off to work when we heard an horrific scream. We knew something terrible had happened.

“We got out of the car. When we saw the young woman, it was obvious that she had died instantly. Then we saw a buggy.

“My brother-in-law and a postman got the baby out.

“I will never forget her face. She was unscathed, had a big smile and was completely oblivious to what had happened,” she said.

Ms Coughlan said the driver of the Brendan Khan fruit delivery truck was beside himself with grief and was treated for shock.

Gardaí in Carrigaline are investigating the accident.

Officials in the German Embassy last night refused to reveal any details about the au pair until her relatives in Germany have been contacted.