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Thai nursery attack: The story of the three-year-old survivor

By primenewsghana
Three-year-old Emmy, the sole child to survive the Thai nursery killings
Three-year-old Emmy, the sole child to survive the Thai nursery killings
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Three-year-old Emmy was napping next to her best friend at a day-care centre in northern Thailand when the attacker broke in, armed with a gun and a knife.

The class of 11 children, all around three years old, had earlier been busy drawing and writing. At around 10:00 local time, teachers sent photo updates to all the parents of smiling, happy children.

Two hours later, at nap time, former police officer Panya Kamrab stormed the building. Witnesses said he first shot staff, including a teacher who was eight months pregnant, before forcing his way into each of the three kindergarten classrooms.

He murdered all of Emmy's friends as they slept.

READ ALSO: Thailand in mourning after children killed in mass stabbing and shooting

It is unclear how she survived. She was found awake, curled up next to the bodies of her classmates.

"She had no idea what was happening when she woke up," her 59-year-old grandfather Somsak Srithong tells me from the family home.

"She thought that her friends were still asleep. A police officer covered her face with a cloth and carried her away from all the blood."

Short presentational grey line
Rescuers took Emmy to the second floor to shield her from the horror. They then combed the other two classes, desperately hoping to find others alive.

She is the only child to live through the massacre in Nong Bua Lamphu on Thursday. In total 37 people died - including the wife and stepson of the attacker - and 24 of the dead are children.

"I feel very grateful that she survived. I held her so tight when I first saw her," says Somsak.

Emmy's mother, 35-year-old Panompai Srithong, works in Bangkok during the week. She had been told that all of the children at the centre had died, and needed to be convinced her daughter was still alive.

"I finally got a video call with Emmy and was filled with blessed relief," she says.

Three-year-old Emmy was napping next to her best friend at a day-care centre in northern Thailand when the attacker broke in, armed with a gun and a knife.

The class of 11 children, all around three years old, had earlier been busy drawing and writing. At around 10:00 local time, teachers sent photo updates to all the parents of smiling, happy children.

Two hours later, at nap time, former police officer Panya Kamrab stormed the building. Witnesses said he first shot staff, including a teacher who was eight months pregnant, before forcing his way into each of the three kindergarten classrooms.

He murdered all of Emmy's friends as they slept.

It is unclear how she survived. She was found awake, curled up next to the bodies of her classmates.

"She had no idea what was happening when she woke up," her 59-year-old grandfather Somsak Srithong tells me from the family home.

"She thought that her friends were still asleep. A police officer covered her face with a cloth and carried her away from all the blood."

Short presentational grey line
Rescuers took Emmy to the second floor to shield her from the horror. They then combed the other two classes, desperately hoping to find others alive.

She is the only child to live through the massacre in Nong Bua Lamphu on Thursday. In total 37 people died - including the wife and stepson of the attacker - and 24 of the dead are children.

"I feel very grateful that she survived. I held her so tight when I first saw her," says Somsak.

Emmy's mother, 35-year-old Panompai Srithong, works in Bangkok during the week. She had been told that all of the children at the centre had died, and needed to be convinced her daughter was still alive.

BBC

"I finally got a video call with Emmy and was filled with blessed relief," she says.