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Police have confirmed that a 5-year-old girl died while riding her scooter on a footpath near her elementary schoolThe incident occurred in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 30The driver, a 42-year-old man, was taken to the hospital for mandatory testing and the investigation is ongoing
A 5-year-old girl has died after being hit by a car while riding her scooter near her elementary school in Australia, police have said.
On Thursday, Oct. 30, at around 3:45 p.m. local time, emergency services “were called to Clower Avenue, Rouse Hill, following reports of a pedestrian (being) hit by a car” in Sydney’s northwest, New South Wales (NSW) Police Force said in a news release.
Police added, “Officers attached to The Hills Police Area Command were told a 5-year-old girl was riding a scooter on the footpath before she was hit by a Toyota Hilux utility.”
“The girl was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to Westmead Children’s Hospital in a critical condition, where she later died,” the release stated.
A photo of Rouse Hill Public School in Australia.
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NSW Police added in an email to PEOPLE, “The crash happened near a primary school (elementary school) on Clower Ave, Rouse Hill.”
The tragedy occurred outside Rouse Hill Public School, according to Australian outlets 9News, 7News and news.com.au.
Police confirmed, “The driver of the Hilux – a 42-year-old man – was taken to Blacktown Hospital for mandatory testing,” per the news release. “Both the utility and the scooter have been seized by police, to be forensically examined.”
The release concluded, “A crime scene was established, and police commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.”
A photo of Rouse Hill Public School in Australia.
Google maps
NSW Police didn’t have any further updates to add at this time when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.
“The police investigation into the girl’s death will follow its normal course. That investigation will take a number of weeks, not days,” a police spokesperson said in an email.
A photo of a New South Wales Ambulance Service vehicle.
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A mother who lives near the scene of the accident, and was at the school when it happened, said, “It’s tragic … my heart breaks for the family,” per the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
NSW Department of Education secretary Murat Dizdar added in a statement on Friday, “I, along with the rest of our school community, was devastated to learn of the death of a young student from Rouse Hill Public School yesterday,” according to the outlet.
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Giving his condolences to the victim’s family “in what is an incredibly difficult time,” Dizdar added, “I would also like to offer my deepest respect and appreciation to our school staff who quickly responded and did all they could to help the young girl,” per the ABC.
“Our focus is now on ensuring our staff, students and school community have all the support and (counseling) they require to help them through this traumatic incident,” he shared, according to the outlet.
PEOPLE has reached out to Rouse Hill Public School and Secretary of the NSW Department of Education, Murat Dizdar, but didn’t immediately hear back.
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