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Runaway car kills boy, 4, as he strolls with his dad

A police officer peers into the overturned Land Cruiser after Brax Kyle was killed in a Melbourne carpark on Friday.

A police officer peers into the overturned Land Cruiser after Brax Kyle was killed in a Melbourne carpark on Friday. Photo ABC

A four-year-old boy who was walking hand-in-hand with his father has died after being hit by a four-wheel drive in a medical centre carpark at Berwick, in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs.

Detective Sergeant Mark Amos said the four-wheel-drive was travelling along Kangan Drive towards Clyde Road about 12:00pm when the car careered over a median strip into the carpark of the Epworth Medical Centre.

“As he was negotiating a left-hand bend, the driver for some reason failed to take the bend,” he said.

“On entering that car park he’s struck a small child pedestrian who was walking with his father, then that Land Cruiser has come to rest next to some parked cars.

“Unfortunately as a result of that collision, the young child has died whilst trying to be saved and taken to hospital by air.”

Detective Sergeant Amos said the boy had been with both his parents in a waiting room, before he and his father stepped out into the carpark.

“The father’s gone out with his son, holding his hand, doing what good dads do, and this outcome’s come up on them very, very suddenly.

“These [parents] are really traumatised. It is the most horrible, horrible thing you could imagine.”

Detective Sergeant Amos said staff at the medical centre attempted to save the boy’s life.

“They couldn’t have done any more than they did. They were straight into CPR, attempting to revive and resuscitate this young man.”

The four-wheel-drive ended up on its side and the driver, who was thought to be in his 50s, was helped out.

The driver spoke with police and was taken to Dandenong hospital.

Witness Cameron Smith said the four-wheel-drive became airborne by about “six or seven metres”.

He said he ran over to assist the driver and had a very brief exchange with him.

“He stated that he had dialysis. He just had blood taken out and he was just literally pulled from hospital,” Mr Smith said.

“I’m just shaken up by it all. I’ve got no words.”

Detective Sergeant Amos said police were investigating how the crash occurred.

“At this point in time we’re early days with the investigation, trying to to establish what exactly why this collision has occurred and had such a tragic outcome,” he said.

He said two adults also received minor injuries in the crash.

 

 

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