Police have summonsed the mother to appear in court on a charge of dangerous driving. The mother, who only wants to be known as Erica, did not speak at Tuesday's press conference. Mr Georgatos spoke and answered questions on her behalf. Mr Georgatos, the national coordinator of the National Indigenous Critical Response Service, said the family was counting their blessings that the incident did not result in anything worse. "This was an extraordinary event, it was a freakish event," he said.

"What could have happened has shell shocked the family, upset them to no end. Loading "They are just thankful and counting their blessing that a miracle actually occurred...that the child wasn't injured." Mr Georgatos said the boy had been restrained in the car by his mother along with two of his siblings, but at some stage the boy managed to unrestrain himself and climb onto the roof before the car took off. "The mother did not suspect that her children were not in the back seat," he said.

"He obviously scurried out the window, climbed up ... onto the roof rack. "It would have been a shock for him too, it would have been a shock to him when the car started moving. "At some point there was a blind spot, mum was blind-sided." Mr Georgatos quashed rumours the boy - who is one of six children - had done something similar in the past. "It has not occurred before under any circumstances," he said.

Mr Georgatos said he hoped the charge preferred by police would eventually be dropped. "Personally I'd like to see the charge removed," he said. The toddler on top of the car. Credit:9 News Perth Police investigating the incident said on Monday after motorists alerted the mother to what was going on, she stopped and placed the boy in the car before driving away. "Canning Vale police responded to the reports and located the vehicle driving into a petrol station on Nicholson Road, Harrisdale," a police spokesman said.