Australian baby suffers third-degree burns after freak hair dryer accident

Sienna is facing a long recovery
Sienna is facing a long recovery Photo credit: GoFundMe

A young Australian couple says they are plagued by guilt after a freak accident left their 7-month old baby with third degree burns.

Dannielle and Levi Robbins had family around at their home to play board games.

In a GoFundMe set up by Danielle, she says she placed her daughter Sienna in her bedroom which was adjacent to the lounge.

Dannielle says she propped her infant daughter with pillows so she wouldn't crawl or fall off the bed and then continued to play games, while checking in every 10 to 15 minutes.

"I went to do my regular 10 -15 check and I heard the hair dryer going," she says.

"I raced in to find she had fallen off the bed and turned on the hair dryer that was on the floor but she then somehow rolled on her back and couldn’t roll back. With the hair dryer on her, she has suffered second and third-degree burns on her head and down her neck."

Sienna was rushed to the hospital where she underwent surgery. It's expected she will need surgery every two days for the next six weeks. 

"Her hair most likely will not grow back in some heavily burnt areas on her head."

Dannielle says she and Levi feel like "the most horrible parents in the world".

"We are shattered that anything like this could happen to our little angel. We have spent the last four days sleep-deprived, not eating or drinking well and emotionally drained from the pain we see our baby in constantly."

The GoFundMe is aimed at ensuring she and Levi can take time off work to emotionally recover and look after Sienna.

So far, more than $12,000 has been raised for the family.