Toddler crushed to death by collapsed wall

Police at the scene where a small child was crushed and killed by a falling brick wall. Photo / NZPA

Police have released the name of the toddler accidentally crushed to death under a falling brick wall in west Auckland.

She was 15-month-old Deena Robertson, of Massey.

Ambulance officers were called about 10.30am today after the wall fell, apparently of its own accord.

The boundary wall hit the toddler, who was playing nearby, and crushed her.

It appeared the incident was "purely an accident", said Inspector Lou Alofa of police northern communications.

The boundary wall was described as "very, very old" and the mortar holding the wall together appeared to be extremely dry and brittle, he said.

An autopsy on the girl's body would be carried out and her death handed over to the coroner, he said.

Glen Taylor from the St John Ambulance said family members dug her out and rushed her inside to begin emergency resuscitation as other family members called an ambulance.

"The family was doing CPR on our arrival. When they got there our guys continued that but the patient was obviously deceased."

As family members tried to resuscitate the toddler they were talked through the best method by the St John Ambulance call taker during the 111 emergency call, he said.

It was a tragic Easter event, he said.

- NZPA