A woman who died after attempting to save her baby during the Sydney stabbing spree has been hailed as an “incredible mother”.
She has been widely named by Australian media as Ash Good, 38, and police said the nine-month-old baby had undergone surgery following the attack at a Sydney shopping centre on Saturday afternoon.
Eyewitnesses said Good attempted to save her baby after she was stabbed by passing the infant over to receive treatment.
Sky News Australia anchor Laura Jayes described the mother of the baby as an “incredible person” who “had the world at her feet”.
Jayes, who said she knew the mother, told Sky News: “So many family and friends wanted to be at the hospital this afternoon, they had to take turns going in and out of the waiting room.
“Her baby went into surgery and her mum didn’t make it.”
Jayes added: “She was one of those all-rounders. She was an incredible athlete. She was so smart, so beautiful.
“She was just so excited to be a new mother and all of that was ripped away in seconds here this afternoon.
“You want her baby to eventually know what an incredible mother her mum was.”
A witness to the stabbings said he helped the baby and mother after they were attacked.
The unnamed man told 9 News Sydney: “The baby got stabbed. The mum got stabbed and came over with a baby and threw it at me – I was holding the baby, it looked pretty bad.
“There was a lot of blood on the floor. I hope the baby is all right.”
The man’s brother said: “He helped with holding the baby and trying to compress the baby and same with the mother.
“We just kept yelling out to get some clothes, get some shirts and just help us to compress and stop the baby from bleeding.
“With my brother holding the baby so well and really compressing, I think the baby’s fine.”
The man added: “We were just shopping and saw the man run up to the woman with the baby and then we were both ready to go and help out.
“But I just said to my brother, ‘we’ve got to run in’, ran in, told the guys to lock up the doors and then the mother came with the baby bleeding, stabbed. We got them into the store and just got them safe and then rang for help.”
According to her LinkedIn page, Good worked as an account executive at the software company Docusign.
She also had a master’s degree in osteopathy from RMIT University.
In one of her most recent posts, Good wrote on her LinkedIn page: “And just like that, seven beautiful months have passed and it’s time to return to the office.
“It’s not lost on me what a privilege it is to become a parent.
“And then to be gifted some extra time away from work to spend with your child … it’s very special.”
The New South Wales police commissioner, Karen Webb, told a press conference: “The last update I had was that it [the baby] had been in surgery and it’s too early to say really. But it’s awful.”
Asked about reports that the baby’s mother had died in hospital, Webb said: “I’ve heard that same rumour but I can’t confirm that.”
Read More: World News | Entertainment News | Celeb News
Guardian
