Girl, 3, alone for days after her mother dies

A toddler left alone when her mother collapsed and died in their home survived by eating whatever she could reach from the fridge for two days and by cuddling her beloved teddy bear.

Three-year-old Shylah Silbery had to fend for herself after the sudden death of mother Lauren at their home near Wellington, New Zealand.

She managed to pull some cold lasagne leftovers, cheese and milk out of the fridge. But her real comfort appears to have been her favourite toy, Possum the bear.

The alarm was eventually raised by concerned neighbours, who spotted Shylah peering out of the cat flap but were unable to see Ms Silbery, 28.

Police coaxed the toddler into using a stool to climb up and unlock the front door. Senior Sergeant Jason McCarthy said: "It was an outstanding act, given her age and the circumstances."

Grandfather Pete Silbery said Shylah, who was still clutching her teddy, was delighted to see her rescuers but told them: "Mummy won't wake up."

He added: "I can only imagine her in there for that long, trying to wake her mum up as well." Shylah spent several days in hospital recovering from dehydration and nappy rash - and Possum never left her side. Mr Silbery said: "She's doing OK now and is still bubbly.

"But when we lowered Lauren's coffin into the grave at the cemetery, Shylah pointed at it and said, 'Mummy's in there'. It was pretty heartbreaking."

The death of Ms Silbery at her house in Upper Hutt is as yet unexplained. Police and the family believe that she died of natural causes but an investigation on behalf of the coroner has now been started.

Ms Silbery's mother Heather said she knew her daughter was dead the instant she heard that neighbours could not contact her.

"Lauren wouldn't have done anything silly," she said. "She loved Shylah so much and was a devoted mum. But I knew exactly what had happened. It's a mother's instinct."

She added: "Shylah doesn't quite have the spark she used to have but that will come back with time. But she still has her little sense of humour.

"We took her out for lunch and as her uncle David picked up a chip to put it in his mouth she'd grab it and eat it - then she'd laugh her little head off."