5yo Rouse Hill crash victim Islah Metcalfe remembered as ‘beautiful, happy and innocent little girl’
A 5-year-old girl who died while riding a scooter outside a public school in Sydney has been remembered as a “beautiful, happy and innocent little girl”.
NSW Police said Islah Metcalfe was hit by a car outside Rouse Hill Public School in Sydney’s northwest at about 3.45pm on Thursday.
Paramedics took him to Westmead Children’s Hospital in a critical condition, where he later died.
A friend of Islah’s family said that the little girl was returning home when the tragedy occurred.
“On what should have been a normal afternoon after school pickup, the unimaginable happened as our sweet girl rode down the trail on her little scooter, excited to get home,” Jessica Rose shared as part of a GoFundMe appeal for the family.
“He was hit by a car coming out of the driveway.”
Miss Rose said Islah’s family was “completely devastated” by the loss and recalled her as a “cheeky” girl who was “full of life”.
“There are no words to describe the pain of losing such a beautiful, happy and innocent little girl,” the post reads.
“She was cheeky and full of life, always smiling, always laughing and bringing so much light to everyone who knew her that we will never get to see her grow up to be the woman she would become.”
“His mother, a single mother, is absolutely heartbroken. No parent should have to plan her child’s funeral.”
The fundraiser, designed to cover funeral expenses and give Islah’s mother some space to grieve without worrying about finances, had raised more than $80,000 as of Sunday afternoon.
The devastation in the incident spread throughout the society.
On Friday morning, a row of flowers were left at the school gate by mourners.
Young students were seen walking and placing flowers.
Attorney General Michelle Rowland, whose electorate includes Rouse Hill, said she was “deeply saddened” to hear of the girl’s tragic loss.
“My thoughts are with his family at this heartbreaking time,” he said.
The 43-year-old driver was taken to Westmead Hospital for mandatory testing following the collision.
Both the ute and scooter were seized for forensic examination.
A crime scene has been established and police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
No charges were filed regarding the accident.
