A shopping centre where a mum fatally ran over her baby girl and injured her five-year-old brother has been called out for its notoriously narrow car spaces – as the mall confirms it is considering changes in the wake of the tragedy.

The five-month-old died after the accident at Minto Mall, in Sydney‘s south west, on Monday afternoon despite the frantic efforts of police and paramedics to save her. 

Her older brother was injured and taken to hospital, but was discharged in a stable condition on Tuesday evening. 

Investigators suspect there wasn’t enough room for both the pram and the car in the tight bay, near the El Jannah chicken shop, and that the mother tried to drive forward, but accidentally put the SUV into reverse, crushing the children against another car.

The tragedy has reignited anger over the shopping centre’s narrow car spaces, with other parents claiming they’re impossible to navigate safely with prams and larger vehicles.

A local mum-of-two, Tanzin Cook, shared her own ordeal, saying she once had just a 20cm gap to squeeze her children through.

‘If you’re in an SUV or 4WD, you are f***ed beyond measure,’ she said.

‘If you know anything about this shopping centre, you’ll know that the car spaces are incredibly narrow and that drivers do not often park well.’

She recalled having to climb through the passenger side to reach the driver’s seat so she could move the car forward and safely load her children.

‘There was no other way I could have done it,’ she said.

A five-month-old baby girl was killed when she was hit by a reversing car in the Minto Mall car park on Monday afternoon

A five-month-old baby girl was killed when she was hit by a reversing car in the Minto Mall car park on Monday afternoon

Tanzin Cook has detailed the same dilemma she encountered with her then-three-month-old and four-year-old in the car park in 2018

Tanzin Cook has detailed the same dilemma she encountered with her then-three-month-old and four-year-old in the car park in 2018

‘Based on reports I’ve read, the mum was in a similar situation,’ she said in a TikTok video. 

‘This is a really bad car park and it is not easy to navigate with kids.’

Ms Cook’s video was inundated with comments from other locals.

‘Sorry no, you don’t leave your kids behind your car, she had a Renault Koleos …. Not an overly large car, the car also has reverse sensors and a reverse camera,’ one said.

‘You need to put the kids in the car, before you put the shopping in the car, I see that all the time in Melbourne,’ another said.   

But others agreed with her point about the carpark. 

‘Every time I go here, I have to park away from everyone because of exactly the same issue,’ another mum wrote.

Another added: ‘Worst parking, nowhere to walk safely when going into and out of the shop.’

A third wrote: ‘I drive a 4WD and I dread going to this car park, it’s an absolute nightmare.’

It's understood the woman behind the wheel of the Renault Kwid SUV accidentally reversed instead of moving forward

It’s understood the woman behind the wheel of the Renault Kwid SUV accidentally reversed instead of moving forward

Minto Mall redeveloped its car park three years ago, with further upgrades to take place in the coming months. 

‘In order to acquire DA approvals, the Australian standards for car parking bays needed to be met,’ centre manager Michael Prestia told Daily Mail on Wednesday.

‘Minto Mall will continue to seek ways of how to improve the Centre’s car park in view of access, egress and parking, in the interest of the customers wellbeing and safety.

‘We are most saddened by the tragic incident that occurred on September 15 and wish to send our deepest condolences to the family, relatives and friends of the family on the loss of their beautiful five-month old baby girl.’

NSW Police have launched an investigation into the incident but at this stage are treating it as a tragic accident.