Family of little girl say one simple step could have saved her life

The family of a little girl who died when she was hit by a ute on a Perth highway say her death was the result of one heartbreaking oversight.

And they believed she could easily have been saved.

Little Angel Atkins, 3, wandered out of the front door of her home in Gosnells at about 6am on March 23 this year while her parents were sleeping.

She was struck by a Toyota Hilux just 300m from their rented house and later died.

Now Angel’s father, Wayne Atkins, has spoken to Seven News to warn other parents to check their house for one simple thing in the hope the tragedy would never be repeated.

He said Angel was able to twist the lock on their home’s front door and wander out into the traffic because there was no deadlock on the door - and they did not have a key for the security screen.

Landlords are required to provide a front-door dead bolt or a triple lock security door but the house did not have either.

Angel’s dad appealed to other parents to do a simple lock check to make sure the standards were met.

A witness, Sharon Arkwright, 46, performed CPR on the little girl before emergency crews arrived.

According to Seven News, Sharon also recalled seeing Angel’s brother in his pyjamas asking ambulance officers if they had seen his sister.

Angel’s dad said the family were devastated by the three-year-old’s death death, but felt nothing but sympathy for the driver who struck her.

 'I’ve got no hatred for him,' he said. 'I feel sorry for the poor fella.'