EXCLUSIVE: A mother who was struck by a car while walking her seven-week old baby in Cork has spoken for the first time after yet more devastating road crashes in Ireland
Liam McInerney Content Editor
06:00, 01 Mar 2026
Junia hasn’t left home since the terrifying accident(Image: Junia Van Belle)
A mother who was recently knocked down while walking her seven-week old baby in a pram in Cork has spoken for the first time — saying she is now too afraid to leave her house.
Junia Van Belle shared her story just days after a weekend of horror on Irish roads saw seven people killed. Among those was 16-year-old Mia Lily Keogh O’Keeffe, who lost her life in a hit-and-run. Mia’s tragedy left Junia in tears in an emotional interview with this reporter.
During the exclusive chat, Junia, whose nickname is Gigi, gave a strong message to drivers in Ireland, while revealing she feared losing her baby after putting herself in front of an oncoming car to save his life.
Horror crash
Gigi, originally from Belgium, has been in Ireland for 11 years. She lives in Blarney, Cork, with her partner, Michael Maurin, and their little baby, Matthew.
Junia Van Belle has given her first interview about the horror she experienced (Image: Junia Van Belle)
On October 21, 2025, she was going on what was supposed to be a peaceful postpartum walk to the post office in Blarney.
“I was walking with the baby on the footpath when suddenly I heard the tyre noise and that scared me,” the 34-year-old, who was on St Ann’s Road, said. “So I turned my head, and that’s when I saw the car running towards me.
“It was really a primal instinct. I thought the car would kill my baby so instead of my baby taking the hit, I took it, I tried the maximum impact, but the car still touched the buggy.
“The baby seat got ejected but luckily it landed on the edge of the path. For me, I got ejected into the bushes. I could hear my baby screaming — but I could not see him.”
Her leg was shattered in the crash (Image: Junia Van Belle)
Gigi recalled suffering tremendous pain in her right leg which was broken — but she remembered repeating Mathew’s name over and over.
She feared the worse until a nurse who stopped at the scene called over to say the little boy was responsive.
The fire brigade arrived to rescue Gigi who was then rushed to Cork University Hospital with her child.
Due to the severity of the impact, the mum and son were separated, with Gigi going to the trauma ward for surgery while Matthew was taken to the emergency children’s ward.
Gigi was operated on the following day after learning her leg was broken. She also had two screws put into her ankle, two screws into her kneecap and a metal plate between the tibia and fibula.
Her little boy is now back smiling after the crash (Image: Junia Van Belle)
The rest of her body was also battered and bruised, and while her recovery will be long and difficult, her real concern was for Matthew, after initial scans showed he had “minor brain damage”.
For weeks, Gigi feared his development would be impacted, but a neurosurgeon eventually concluded that the issue would resolve by itself.
Gigi and Matthew were initially apart for nine agonising days before eventually returning home — but there was no going back to normal.
PTSD
The mum, who was in a wheelchair and now relies on crutches, is suffering from PTSD and needs professional support to help her cope with what she went through.
Giving an insight, she said her life would never be the same. She told us: “Even during the day, I don’t feel safe. Sometimes I am in the living room and I am thinking there is going to be a car that jumps through the living room and hits us.
It has been a traumatic time for the young family (Image: Junia Van Belle)
“I have a lot of nightmares where I feel chased and I need to look after my baby and make sure he is safe. I feel trapped.”
Gigi had family members, including her mum and sister, visit from abroad to help out. But one trip to Kinsale led to the mum screaming in the car when she mistakenly thought her partner might collide with someone while parking.
Since then, she has been too afraid to go outside.
Reflecting on it, she said: “That was the first time when I went out and then I decided not to leave. I haven’t left the house since the accident, despite going to hospital for appointments, that is the only time I go out.”
Hit-and-run
Gigi decided to speak out after hearing the tragic news about Mia Lily Keogh O’ Keeffe being killed in a hit-and-run in Navan, County Meath, last weekend.
Mia Lily Keogh O’Keeffe was just 16(Image: GoFundMe)
The teenager is said to have been struck while crossing the road. Gardai believe the driver ran a red light before hitting the girl by a driver who hit the girl before fleeing the scene.. A man in his 20s was arrested but was released without charge.
And speaking about the tragedy, Gigi said: “What happened to that young girl is truly heartbreaking. It brought back a lot of emotions for me, because we could also have lost our lives. This has been a deeply traumatic experience for both me and my little boy.
“I was really shocked. It really is heartbreaking for me because there are a lot of emotions coming…”
Gigi then broke down in tears before adding: “Sorry… she was just a young girl, only 16, it is just awful.”
Mia was one of seven people to have lost their lives in what was a devastating weekend of road crashes across Ireland.
Message to drivers
The crash involving Gigi is an active investigation, but the mum gave a general message to other drivers in Ireland.
They are trying to stay positive and have set up a GoFundMe page (Image: Junia Van Belle)
Wiping away tears, she said: “When you take to the roads, you need to realise your responsibility.
“We feel less impacted until it happens to us. You can take the life of someone, and you can also take the loss of a professional activity, independence, joy of moving freely, and being free in the mind, as well as the family.
“It is a family that you can break. And you can really steal the peace and the joy of a family, so just be aware.
“How many people need to be impacted, and how many lives need to be taken, to have change?”
GoFundMe
The young mother has been left with multiple fractures and is unable to walk or work while still trying to care for her infant, who is her first child.
After being discharged, she was immobilised in bed, but was still left to take care of her little one.
She said she had no choice but to seek private support, something she said has caused an enormous amount of stress on top of the trauma she is dealing with.
It was a terrifying time after learning their son may have brain damage (Image: Junia Van Belle)
As for asking for help, she told us: “I set up the GoFundMe because at the beginning I was vulnerable to do it.
“It took me a long time to put it online because I felt ashamed for asking for help and creating awareness about what happened to me. But then I realised there were a lot of people who were praying for us and asking for news.
“I finally feel ready to share a picture of my baby. I was really protective about my name and my baby showing, now I think I need to change my mindset, and that I don’t need to feel guilty about what happened to me.”
She said donations would help towards physical rehabilitation, psychological recovery, essential home care while she regains mobility, and the ability to safely care for her baby.
Gardai
A garda spokesperson said the investigation into the crash involving Gigi remained active and that an investigation was ongoing.
They referred back to a previous statement which read: “Gardai are appealing for witnesses — including those travelling in the area at the time who may have dashcam / video recordings.
“Anyone with any information is asked to contact Gurranabraher Garda Station on (021) 494 6200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.”
You can make a donation on Gigi’s fundraising page here