4-Year-Old Girl Dies After Being Struck by Palm Tree While Playing in Backyard in ‘Tragic’ Event

A tragic accident in Darwin, Australia, has claimed the life of a 4-year-old girl after a palm tree suddenly fell while she was playing outside.

The Northern Territory Police Force confirmed the heartbreaking incident in a statement released Saturday, July 19. Authorities said the young girl was struck by the tree around 1:55 p.m. local time while in the yard of a home in Tiwi, a northern suburb of Darwin.

“The Northern Territory Police Force are investigating after a 4-year-old child died in Tiwi this afternoon,” the statement read. “Around 1:55 p.m., the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received a report that a 4-year-old female was struck by a falling palm tree at an address in Tiwi while playing in the yard.”

Emergency responders from St John Ambulance and local police arrived quickly and attempted to render aid. The girl was transported to Royal Darwin Hospital, but she was pronounced dead before arrival.

An 11-year-old boy was also injured by the falling tree but is expected to recover. Authorities say his injuries are not life-threatening.

Police emphasized that the incident is not believed to be suspicious. A full investigation is underway, and a report will be submitted to the coroner.

Initial reports had misidentified the young victim as a 7-year-old, but police later confirmed her age as 4, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Falling trees have previously caused fatalities in the Northern Territory, including a 2013 case in which a council worker was struck and killed by a palm tree.

Speaking to ABC, arborist Ben Kenyon described the event as a rare and devastating accident.

“For a person to be in exactly the wrong spot at exactly the right time is really rare,” he said. “Quite often, it is a bit of a freak event.”

Kenyon also explained how environmental conditions in the region can accelerate the decay of trees, making them potentially unstable.

“A fungus getting into the trunk of a tree in the Top End can kill it within three to 12 months,” he said. “The same fungus might take five to 10 years to do the same damage in the southern parts of Australia. It happens far more quickly in the heat and humidity of the north.”

“My thoughts go out to the family — it’s truly tragic,” Kenyon added.

The community is mourning the sudden loss of a child whose life was cut short in a moment no one could have predicted.