The scene where a seven-year-old girl died in a tragic accident became a shrine to her memory.
It is believed Chantelle Keenan was fatally injured when the car went backwards pinning her against an iron gate.
Yesterday flowers and toys were placed at the driveway of the house at Boyle O’Reilly Terrace in Drogheda, Co Louth.
A lit candle was also in place in the driveway of the property.
Tragedy struck at around 2.30pm on Sunday when the Ford Focus car moved backwards.
It is understood a number of children were playing close to the vehicle when it began to move.
It is unclear how the car gained so much momentum on the driveway which has only a very slight incline.
It is also not known how the window on the passenger side of the car was shattered.
Chantelle was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, which is less than 200 metres away, where she was pronounced dead.
A neighbour said she was too upset to describe what occurred.
She said: “I was there but I can’t talk about it, it’s just too terrible.”
Another man who lives a few doors away said he can’t understand how the car gained enough speed to cause such catastrophic injuries.
He added: “The drive is also fairly flat I just don’t know how it happened.
“Then again she was only a little girl. We just can’t get over it.”
Sinn Fein TD Imelda Munster said the entire area is devastated by the little girl’s death.She added: “As far as I know there were a few children playing in the garden and the gates were closed to keep them safe and the car rolled back.
“They had taken precautions and closed the gate so they wouldn’t go out on the busy road.
“And then for this to happen, it’s such a terrible tragedy which has devastated the family and the entire town is shocked.”
It is understood Chantelle and her family, who are from Finglas, North Dublin, only recently moved into the rented semi-detached house. Yesterday her heartbroken parents announced their daughter’s funeral.
The notice on RIP. ie read: “Chantelle will be very sadly missed by her heartbroken daddy and mammy John and Kathleen, brother Michael, sister Chelsea, grandfathers, nannies, aunts, uncles and friends.”
This is the second tragedy to hit the area in recent weeks after 14-year-old Jill Amante drowned at Seapoint beach near Termonfeckin, Co Louth, on June 29.
