Driver released after 'worst nightmare' school crash kills 11-year-old ...
Driver released after ‘worst nightmare’ school crash kills 11-year-old boy, injures four others
The female driver of a Toyota SUV that ploughed through a fence and hit students at a Melbourne primary school on Tuesday afternoon has been released from police custody, as the school principal paid tribute to the student killed in the crash.
Jack Davey, 11, died after the crash at Auburn South Primary School in Hawthorn East about 2.30pm. Four other children – three girls and one boy – remain in hospital.
Flowers were laid at Auburn South Primary School on Wednesday morning after an 11-year-old boy was killed.Credit: Joe Armao
Early on Wednesday morning, Victoria Police said the driver, a 40-year-old Hawthorn East woman who was arrested at the scene, has been released pending further enquiries.
Victoria Police Inspector Craig McEvoy said the woman was doing a U-turn after picking up a child when her car veered off Burgess Street and into an outdoor table where five children were sitting.
An 11-year-old boy was left with critical injuries and died on the way to hospital. Two 11-year-old girls, a 10-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy were also taken to hospital with serious injuries.
On Wednesday morning, the Royal Children’s Hospital said their two patients were in a stable condition. A third child is at Monash Medical Centre in a stable condition while a fourth has been transferred to Dandenong Hospital in a stable condition.
Counselling services are onsite.Credit: Joe Armao
Members of the school community laid flowers at the school gate early on Wednesday, paying tribute to the young boy who lost his life.
Temporary fencing was erected overnight at the site of the crash and police officers were patrolling the streets during morning drop off.
Auburn South Primary School principal Marcus Wicher said the name of the 11-year-old boy killed in the crash was Jack.
“Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathy are with Jack’s family and friends and our thoughts are also with our four students who remain in hospital, and their families,” he said, describing the incident as “a complete tragedy”.
“We are entirely focused on the welfare of our students, staff and broader school community.”
Pagu Bhuva, who has two children at the school, said they both kept asking for an explanation of what had happened.
“I’m feeling worried for my kids … scared. She was just crossing the road and I screamed.”
Bhuva said she had slept with her children last night, not wanting to let them out of her sight. She said she had chosen to bring them to school on Wednesday in the hope they could get some answers and some support from the community.
Pagu Bhuva brought her two children to the school on Wednesday to find support amongst their peers.Credit: Alex Crowe
“This is the best place to drop them off. They will learn more here than for me. I don’t want to answer anything wrong,” she said.“I can’t stop crying. It’s just very scary.”
In a joint media appearance at Parliament House on Wednesday morning, Premier Jacinta Allan and Education Minister Ben Carroll said 25 teachers from neighbouring schools were at Auburn South Primary to support the school community, along with chaplaincy and counselling services.
Carroll said he had not yet spoken with the grieving family and was conscious of allowing them to grieve after “every parent’s worst nightmare”.
Carroll and Allan spoke to the principal on Tuesday night, not long after he had spoken with the mother of the 11-year-old boy.
“It was a really tough conversation for the principal. And he relayed to Ben and I just how strong the family is in the toughest of times. And he also, I’m sure he won’t mind, he really did convey his appreciation for the messages of support that have already been coming into the school community.
Allan said the school had shown remarkable service and strength to open their doors after the tragedy that made her “stomach lurch”.
On Sunrise earlier on Wednesday, Allan said: “I’ve got a little boy in grade 5 in a local primary school, and I think we all felt so sick to the stomach yesterday afternoon when we heard that news.”
On Tuesday, Inspector McEvoy said it was too early to determine whether a medical issue had played a role in the fatal crash as initial reports suggested. He described the scene as confronting.
“These events are always hard ... but [are] especially difficult when there are children involved,” he said. “It appears it is a tragic accident.”
The Education Department said a chaplain and casual relief teachers would be among the extra support staff at the school on Wednesday.
“Our thoughts are with the Auburn South Primary School community as we mourn with them the loss of a student in yesterday’s tragedy,” said a department spokesperson.
Lucy, a parent at the school, said her son was standing close by when the car hit the children.
The mother, who did not disclose her last name, told radio station 3AW that most of the children were believed to be grade five pupils.
“This is really every person’s worst nightmare,” she said.
Loading
