A mother collecting her child from an Australian primary school crashed through a fence Tuesday afternoon, killing an 11-year-old boy and injuring four other students who were seated at an outdoor table.
The incident occurred at Auburn South Primary School in Melbourne, Australia when the 40-year-old driver attempted a U-turn after picking up her child at approximately 2:30 p.m. local time.
Jack Davey, a Grade 5 student, was transported to the hospital with critical injuries but did not survive.
Four other children – two 11-year-old girls, a 10-year-old girl, and a 10-year-old boy – sustained serious injuries and were hospitalized. The driver’s child passenger was not harmed in the incident.
Police Inspector Craig McEvoy said at the scene, “It appears it is a tragic accident.” The driver was arrested but has since been released pending further investigation.
The driver’s family issued a statement expressing their shock and offering condolences to the Davey family. They also expressed wishes for the injured children’s recovery.
Marcus Wicher, headteacher at Auburn South Primary School, praised the emergency services response and the support from staff and parents.
Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan addressed the incident, saying “a dark shadow has been cast over our city and state.”
The school community has rallied to support the affected families. A fundraising campaign for the Davey family has raised over $241,000 as of Friday.
Specialist accident investigation detectives gathered evidence at the scene, where video footage showed a station wagon with damage to its front-left fender had stopped in a shade-cloth covered recreation area.
The school remains open with additional support services available for students and staff.
