In the inner east of Melbourne, a car slammed through a school fence, killing an 11-year-old kid and injuring four others.
About 2:30 p.m., a vehicle reportedly veered off Burgess Street in Hawthorn East, approximately 7 km east of Melbourne CBD, and slammed into a fence at Auburn South Primary School.
The incident is being investigated by the police.
According to Inspector Craig McEvoy, who spoke to the media, the driver, a 40-year-old lady from Hawthorn East, was making a U-turn after collecting a child from school when the vehicle slammed into a table near the school’s sports field, where five children were sitting.
While being transported to the hospital, an 11-year-old kid succumbed to his injuries.
There were three children transported to the hospital due to significant injuries: two girls aged 11, one girl aged 10, and a boy aged 10. She is now in police custody after her arrest.
“It’s tragic circumstances … really tough for everyone involved,” added McEvoy.
“It’s always a tough time when children are involved.”
It was too soon to remark on charges, he added, but the state coroner was there at the site.
At this time, we do not know what caused the crash. Lucy, a parent at Auburn South Primary School, said 3AW’s Jacqui Felgate that the vehicle slammed through the fence while the school was enjoying their third playtime of the day.
“And naturally, the students were present and they saw it happen,” she remarked, her voice quivering with emotion.
She mentioned that her son, like many other youngsters, was extremely distressed after seeing the collision.
“They’re all really, really shaken up,” she pointed out.
“It’s just every person’s worst nightmare.”
At approximately 3 o’clock in the afternoon, parents reported receiving a message instructing them to collect their children 30 minutes early.
Detectives from the Major Collision Investigation Unit are also present.
On the school’s athletic field, next to a broken fence, stood a white vehicle with green license plates.
The incident was accompanied by a minimum of eight police cars.
The whole Auburn South Primary School community is in the thoughts of the Department of Education, according to a spokeswoman from that agency.
The entire school community was sent his condolences by John Pesutto, the Hawthorn MP and leader of the Victorian Liberal Party.
“The tragic incident outside Auburn South Primary School this afternoon is simply devastating,” according to it.
