Girl who cheated death in tree fall horror is on road to recovery
An eight-year-old who cheated death when a massive tree branch crushed the car in which she was travelling is on the road to recovery, her family revealed today.
Rear seat passenger Faith Molineux suffered multiple fractures to her jaw, left eye socket and left cheek together with a deep laceration and a broken left arm.
Her mother and father – Natalie and Dan, aged 30 and 40 respectively – were told that their only child was lucky to be alive after the terrifying incident in Rugeley Road on Cannock Chase, near the Beau Desert Golf Club, on July 25.
She was taken by air ambulance to Birmingham Children's Hospital where she has since undergone three operations, the most recent of which took place last week to implant three pieces of metal to allow the bone between her wrist and hand to mend.
It is unclear if she will require further surgery but her family fear she will be left with permanent facial scarring.
Faith was released from hospital after two-and-a-half weeks of treatment and her relieved father revealed at their home in Plovers Rise, Rugeley: "She is going to make a full recovery.
"The hospital staff have been great.
"Doctors said Faith would have been crushed to death if she had been any taller.
"She will have facial scarring for the rest of her life but it is still unclear to what extent.
"That depends on the technology but we have our fingers crossed.
"She will also have a permanently fixed pupil in her left eye but her sight will still be 20/20."
Faith has received more than 100 get well cards, some from complete strangers, while colleagues and bosses at Armitage Shanks, the bathroom fittings and supplies firm where her father works in technical support, have raised £500 for her.
He said: "The response has been fantastic.
"You hear of so many negative stories but this kind of thing restores your faith in human nature.
"I cannot thank them enough. It has been a great boost for Faith.
"The last few weeks have been a mixed bag of emotions for my wife and I.
"One minute you are down in the dumps thinking why this should happen to an eight year old and the next you are delighted after realising things could have been a lot worse."
The family have had to cancel their planned summer holiday in Gran Canaria on the advice of doctors but Faith will be back at Etching Hill Primary School, Rugeley,for the first day of next term after being hurt on her first day of the summer break.
Fortunately she is right handed.
It is still not clear why the massive branch fell onto the Peugeot 107 driven by her aunt Alisha Vivian who was taking Faith to a spot where they could walk their dogs. Miss Vivian and her boyfriend Nathaniel Hailey, who was in the front passenger seat of the Peugeot 107, both suffered minor injuries.
Mr Molineux and his wife were at work but reached the scene minutes later after being alerted to what had happened by Miss Vivian. The whole tree has since been cut down.
The Forestry Commission, which has responsibility for the upkeep of woodland in the area, launched an investigation into the incident and said: "This stretch of road and all roadside trees have been checked within the last three months and no trees were identified as being at risk.
"It is not clear why this particular branch fell and the local forest team will continue to provide support and advice if any further investigation is required."
