Health authorities have provided an update on the nine-month-old baby who was seriously injured during the Sydney mall attack last weekend.
On Saturday (April 13), 40-year-old Joel Cauchi entered the Bondi Westfield shopping center at approximately 3:00PM, where he began attacking members of the public at random with a knife.
The rampage was brought to an end at approximately 3:30PM when a sole police inspector fatally shot Cauchi after he approached her with his 30cm long hunting knife.
Sadly, six victims lost their lives in the attacks, with police naming the victims as 30-year-old Faraz Tahir, 25-year-old Dawn Singleton, 47-year-old Jade Young, 55-year-old Pikria Darchia, and 38-year-old Ashlee Good.
Good had been shopping in the mall with her nine-month-old daughter. The mom and baby were attacked by Cauchi - leading to the heroic mother to run to two strangers for help, pleading with them to save her baby.
The two men - who were later revealed to be brothers - revealed that they hid with Good in a clothing store, and using items off the racks to try and stem the blood loss from both the mother and the baby.
Speaking to Channel Nine, they recounted Good's desperate attempt to save her daughter's life - running up to them and entrusting them with her baby. "She handed us the baby and said ‘Please help, help’," one of the brothers said. "She was bleeding from her head, her face … the baby was bleeding."
Tragically, Ashlee died after being transported to a nearby hospital.
Thankfully, her baby survived, but had been in a "serious but stable" condition following surgery at Sydney Children’s Hospital.
On Friday (April 19), the baby's status was upgraded to "stable", marking a heartwarming update on the little one's journey to recovery.
Shortly after the senseless attacks, Good's family shared a tribute to the "beautiful mother, daughter, sister, partner, friend, all-round outstanding human and so much more."
In their statement, the family expressed immense gratitude to the strangers who fought to save the baby's life. "To the two men who held and cared for our baby when Ashlee could not – words cannot express our gratitude," the family said.
Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to award citizenship to Damien Guerot, the Frenchman hailed as the "Bollard Man" for his heroic act during Saturday's rampage.
Guerot was captured on video fighting off Cauchi with a bollard as he attempted to ascend an escalator in the mall.
Our thoughts continue to go out to the victims' loved ones and the people of Sydney at this time.
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