Two young children have died after a passenger vehicle (SUV) crashed into a stroller in the southwestern suburb of Cabramatta in Sydney, smh.com.au reported.
According to information from the New South Wales Police, investigating the tragic incident, the deceased are brother and sister - Catherine (5 years old) and Harry (1 year old). They were hit while their mother was taking them home from school.
Despite their emergency transportation to the Westmead Children's Hospital, they died from their serious injuries. The 33-year-old mother, Sok Ram, was pushing the stroller at the time of the impact. She escaped with minor physical injuries, but is in a state of severe shock.
The accident occurred at the intersection of Gilbert and Joseph streets in Cabramatta, near the busy Cumberland Highway. Superintendent Timothy Kalman described the actions of witnesses as "phenomenal". Immediately after the collision, bystanders and drivers stopped, worked together to turn the SUV over to remove one of the children trapped under the tires, and immediately began providing first aid and artificial respiration until the ambulances arrived.
The car was driven by a 56-year-old man who was not injured in the collision. He was detained at the scene and taken to hospital for mandatory blood tests for alcohol and drugs. He has been released without charge while the Specialised Crash Investigation Unit investigates the exact cause of the accident. It is still being investigated whether the stroller was on the pavement, footpath or roadway at the time of the collision.
Despite the unspeakable tragedy, devastated parents Wundy Ta and Sok Ram have released a statement to the media saying they have now forgiven the driver. The father said anger will not bring his children back and urged all drivers on the road to be extremely careful. The local Sydney community has launched a charity campaign to help the family, which has raised tens of thousands of dollars in just a few hours.