Netherby toddler dies after being struck by family ute in Adelaide’s inner-south

An 18-month-old girl has died in a tragic driveway crash in Netherby – believed to have been struck by the family ute.

An 18-month-old girl has died after being struck by a ute in Adelaide’s inner-south.

The Advertiser understands the girl’s father was driving the vehicle.

Just after 8am Friday, police and emergency services were called to Rentoul Ave at Netherby after reports a young child was struck by a vehicle.

The girl was treated by paramedics on the scene but died later in hospital.

7NEWS reported the front of the ute hit the child, who was at the end of the driveway near the road.

BREAKING: A child has been struck by a ute in a driveway outside a home at Netherby. https://t.co/O8KB2vg4VI#7NEWSpic.twitter.com/jS9Hl9mfv6

— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) September 13, 2024

A child has been hit by a car at Netherby. Picture: 7NEWS

Distressed Netherby resident Michael Angelakis – who is also SA’s seafood king – said he was absolutely heartbroken for the parents who had to live with the pain of losing a child for the rest of their lives.

SA's seafood king Michael Angelakis, a neighbour of the family whose little girl was killed in a driveway accident in Netherby.

“It’s the worst thing for any parent – and to happen in your backyard – you live with it for the rest of your life. The images.

“How can you ever move away from it? It’s just there for life.”

Mr Angelakis said he also felt pained by the reality that no one will be able to help the parents heal after their tragedy.

“I mean no matter what we do (as a neighbourhood) we’ll never mend, we can’t heal, we can’t give you bandages and all that.”

However, the 73-year-old said the community would always be available to them if they needed a sympathetic ear.

Mr Angelakis said the family was “very private” and tended to keep to themselves.

A child has been rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries from being hit by a ute in the driveway of a home in Adelaide’s inner-south. Picture: 7NEWS

He said the neighbourhood felt shaken by the tragedy that had taken away the young child, given it was typically so quiet.

“It is such a peaceful, friendly neighbourhood and to have something like this in your backyard just absolutely shocks you to the core,” he said.

“There were three or four police cars, three or four ambulances, the neighbourhood was just in meltdown as to what happened … and when we finally learnt, how tragic.”

A child has been struck by a ute in a driveway outside a home at Netherby Picture: 7NEWS

Police outside the home on Heather Avenue, Netherby. Picture: Brett Hartwig

The driver of the vehicle is assisting police and has been taken to hospital for mandatory testing while Major Crash investigators are at the scene.

Rentoul Rd was closed between Pulleine Ave and Netherby Ave but has since reopened.

The girl’s death is the 59th live lost on South Australian roads this year compared with 78 at the same time last year.

The ute involved is taken away. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Leading Adelaide clinical psychologist Darryl Cross, who has previously worked in the trauma space, said his heart broke for the parents.

“The death of a child is always horrendous … you struggle to find words to describe the horror (these parents) will be going through,” Dr Cross said.

“The instinct of the male is to be the protector; the mother is the nurturer, she has carried the child for nine months and nursed the child but the father is the protector of the child.

“If he hasn’t protected his family … the horror he would be feeling is unimaginable and the prime emotion will be guilt.

“The sad reality is, he may never recover from this ordeal … there will be the ‘what ifs’; ‘What if I had left five minutes later? What if I hadn’t been in such a hurry … what if, what if, what if?’”

Dr Cross said all family, friends and the local community could do was wrap arms around the grieving parents.

“This is a time when the family needs unconditional love and unconditional support … for others to just be there for them.”