A 12-year-old boy has died after being hit by a car while crossing the road on his way to school in Sydney’s south.
Emergency services were called to Forest Road in Hurstville about 8.40am on Friday after the Sydney Tech High School student was struck during the busy morning drop off.
The boy was trapped under the car for a short time before witnesses helped free him and began performing CPR.
He was treated by paramedics and taken to Sydney Children’s Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival, NSW Police said in a statement.
A boy has died, and a man is in custody following a fatal single-vehicle crash in Hurstville today. https://t.co/y4J74wswJL
— NSW Police Force (@nswpolice) September 6, 2019
The 36-year-old male driver of the car was arrested at the scene by police. He is undergoing mandatory blood and urine testing.
Acting Superintendent Craig James described the incident as tragic.
“There were a number of kids being dropped off by their mums and dads, there were teachers that ran out to this,” he told reporters. “This is absolutely awful.”
Police are still investigating exactly what happened, but Acting Supt James said the boy had walked across the road.
“This is a tragic, tragic set of circumstances … so any further information that we can get will assist with our inquiries,” he said.
NSW Ambulance Inspector David Stride thanked those people who tried to help the boy before paramedics arrived.
“The bystanders who stopped and assisted in giving CPR did an incredible job under tremendously difficult circumstances,” he said in a statement.
“A NSW Ambulance chaplain has been sent to the scene and our thoughts are with the boy’s family and friends.”