A TWO-year-old girl may have survived on chocolate Easter eggs for up to five days after her mother died in southern New South Wales.
The dehydrated two-year-old was discovered by local pastor who helped a concerned neighbour gain access to the house in Ashmont, near Wagga Wagga, on Friday afternoon.
The body of the 36-year-old mother was also inside the home.
Ambulance officers treated the girl and she was taken to Wagga Wagga Base Hospital in a serious condition.
The toddler may have been alone in the house for up to five days before neighbours alerted police.
Riverina Ambulance Inspector Eamonn Purcell said: "She was quite lethargic and pale. She wasn't saying much, she wasn't displaying much emotion."
He said she was dehydrated but her blood sugar levels were good.
"It was not long after Easter so she probably had some chocolate eggs that she was eating," Mr Purcell said, adding there were "a lot of unknowns" in the case.
He said paramedics were unsure how long the girl had been left alone, but neighbours suggested her mother died up to five days before she was found.
Police say it's too early to determine if the woman's death is suspicious and they do not know exactly how long the child spent alone inside the house.
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