Last December, at a childcare center in Manly in Sydney, Australia, a roomful of toddlers and infants were sound asleep. When they woke up, there was a surprise Christmas party planned for them by the city’s fire department.

The party never happened.

Instead, a car careened into the centre’s glass window, right into the sleeping children. Then, it burst into flames.

The fire department arrived, but not dressed as Santa Claus as they had expected to. It was to a scene of devastation.

Five months on, one of the toddlers who was hit, little Sophie Delezio, 3, is still in hospital.

Her parents have to face the difficult task of telling her just how bad the accident was, reported The Daily Telegraph.

She has lost her right leg below the knee, her left foot, the fingers on her right hand and her right ear. Sophie suffered severe burns to 85 per cent of her tiny body.

Her parents still do not know if Sophie will survive.

Speaking publicly for the first time, mum Carolyn Martin, 44, said: "The amputations weren't the hardest decision because we wanted our little girl to stay alive and they gave her a chance of surviving.

"No one has said to us to this day that Sophie's going to survive, but we're hoping to see light at the end of the tunnel after her latest skin graft operation."

Dad Ron, 50, a plastics machinery importer said: "By day five, [doctors had] asked us twice if we wanted to let her go, but you don't want to let your child die."

Ms Martin added: "We were in a state of total shock at the time, and all you can do is absorb the information. You can't rationally say 'Yes turn the machines off', I don't know how anyone gets to that point."

Mr Delezio said Sophie had seen her injuries, but had not spoken about them.

"I couldn't control my tears. I kept remembering the day before the accident when I was playing with Sophie's toes, they were so gorgeous. And then the next day seeing those beautiful little toes blackened, charred ... then losing them," Mr Delezio told Woman's Day.

A major skin graft operation to the back of Sophie's head was postponed to allow her to celebrate her third birthday on April 3. The operation took place the following week.

She spent six days in intensive care, heavily sedated and lying on her stomach. Sophie needs further surgery and is expected to be in hospital until at least the end of August.

Driver Donald McNeall, 68, of Manly was charged with one count of negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm

However, the accident threw the spotlight on childcare safety when it happened. Residents questioned the safety of having a childcare facility so close to the road. Since the accident, the authorities have put up concrete barriers in front of the center and reduced the speed limit along the street outside from 50 kmh to 40kmh.

Singapore childcare centers are generally safe and a distance from the main roads. All centers here are built and renovated strictly under the guidelines of MCDS. However, accidents can happen and it would be wise to educate your children on traffic safety.

Teaching them not to play by the roadside or on the pavement would be a good start.