The dad of a baby girl killed in a crash in a multi-storey car park has spoken out about the ‘horror movie’ incident. Alex Kelemen and his wife Betty, from Leigh, were on holiday in south Wales when their six-month-old daughter was struck.
Little Sophia Kelemen died in hospital the next day following the collision on the ground floor of the car park in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, last Thursday (January 2).
Speaking previously to the Manchester Evening News, her auntie, Adriana Kelemen, paid tribute to Sophia describing her as ‘the cutest and most adorable girl’.
Sophia Kelemen, aged six months, from Leigh, died in the crash
(Image: Dyfed-Powys Police)
Flaviu Naghi, 33, of Irvine Street, Leigh, who was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, driving without a license and without insurance, will next appear at Swansea Crown Court on February 7.
Speaking out about the fatal collision, Sophia’s dad Alex said his daughter’s death was like ‘a horror movie’ and said the family have been ‘devastated’ by her death.
“Just before we got to the car, the horror movie started,” he told the BBC. “It’s been horrific to see our little daughter being in that bed and go through all those procedures. Everybody loved her, all of our friends, our family.”
One of the last photos of the family together including Sophia was taken on their trip to Wales
(Image: Dyfed-Powys Police)
Sophia’s inquest opening was due to open at Pembrokeshire County Hall last Friday (January 10). Following a delay, Pembrokeshire Council confirmed that a power cut had affected its IT systems and the inquest could not go ahead as planned and would be rescheduled to this week.
The family, including parents Alex and Betty, along with their older son, aged five, had been on holiday in south Wales at the time of the tragic incident.
Alex added: “The biggest pain I’ve had was explaining to him that God loved his sister more than we did and God gave Sophia a brand new set of wings so that she could fly over him and protect him.”
Fundraising efforts were later launched for the family, originally from Romania, who want to take Sophia back to the country for a burial.
Speaking to the BBC, dad Alex added: “She’s always going to live in my heart. I know she’s gonna be watching me every day.”
Two GoFundMe links have been set up – one in English and the other in Romanian – to help raise money to pay for Sophia’s funeral and repatriation flight to bury her in Romania. You can donate here.