Police investigating a horrific playpark accident that seriously injured a Fife toddler are treating the incident as malicious.
Inquiries suggest bolts were deliberately removed from a metal fence at Letham Glen in Leven, before it crashed down on top of two-year-old Esme Philip.
It is thought a specialist tool was used to unscrew the bolts, which were later found nearby.
Esme suffered a deep wound to her forehead and was left screaming in agony after the incident last month.
She was rushed to hospital where she had to undergo surgery and had so many stitches, the consultant lost count.
The incident happened just two days after an inspection at the park found the bolts were secure.
And council officers say they must have been removed sometime between the inspection and the accident.
Police are now calling for anyone with information to come forward.
The bolts were removed on purpose.”
John Rodigan, Fife Council.
Stacey and husband Kyle, who live in Rosyth, say they are stunned by the news and are also seeking witnesses.
“It has to be someone who has the right tools to remove these bolts,” said Stacey.
“We need to know what happened because this is a massive thing for my daughter and my family to go through.”
‘Who would deliberately do this?’
Esme, and older brothers Warren, 7, and Isaac, 5, were at the glen with grandparents Amanda and Fraser McDonald when the accident happened on July 25.
The youngster ran over to the fence, which surrounds a special swing designed for wheelchair users, and placed her feet on the bottom rail.
As she did so, the whole panel fell forward and struck her on the face, narrowly missing her eye.
“I understand the council has carried out the investigation and there’s only so much they can do,” said Stacey.
“But there’s still so much we don’t understand. Who would deliberately do this?
“My husband is a joiner and we’ve had contractors telling us even they don’t have the tool needed to take the bolts off.”
Stacey said Esme is recovering from her ordeal but the extent of her injury is still obvious.
“The wound was so deep it had to be stitched in three layers,” she said.
“The consultant says he lost count but I can see 32 individual stitches on the top layer alone.
“It’s right in the middle of her face and it’ something she’ll have to learn to deal with later in life.”
Stacey issued an appeal for witnesses via a Facebook post at the weekend and said a number of people have already come forward.
“People can still message me on Facebook if they saw anyone hanging about the fence before Esme’s accident,” she said.
Serious concerns
Leven Labour councillor Colin Davidson said further investigations were vital.
“This family deserves answers and we have to get to the bottom of it,” he said.
“We need to know exactly how this happened and how we can prevent it from happening again.”
Senior Fife Council manager John Rodigan confirmed the local authority had concluded its own inquiry.
“We’ve finished our investigation which established that the playpark inspection regime had been followed and that bolts were in place two days before the incident,” he said.
“However, at some point on the Friday or Saturday after the inspection, the bolts were removed on purpose.
“This is now with Police Scotland who are investigating.”
A police spokesperson added: “Following a report of a two-year-old girl being injured after a gate fell on her in a park in Leven on Sunday, 25 July, officers have carried out enquiries and are treating the incident as malicious.
“Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact Police Scotland through 101, quoting incident number 1422 of Monday, 26 July, 2021.”