Greenacre school crash: Grandfather says boy died with best friend
ONE of the young boys killed in yesterday’s school crash tragedy has been described as a promising soccer player, while the other has been remembered fondly by his pre-school best mate.
NSW
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ONE of the young boys killed in yesterday’s school crash tragedy has been described as a promising soccer player who was a “bundle of joy” who “gave everything a go”, while the other was mourned last night by his pre-school best friend.
Two eight-year-old boys took the brunt of the impact at Banksia Road Primary School. One was knocked unconscious and became stuck under the vehicle. Three other girls were seriously injured.
Halimeh Ayyoub and her son Hussein went to the school last night to pay tribute to one of the boys, whom they knew.
Ms Ayyoub said her son and the boy were in childcare together.
“We were best friends when we were in pre-school,” Hussein, 9, said.
Ms Ayyoub said: “It’s very hard and I didn’t tell Hussein straight away because I didn’t want him to have nightmares.
“They made the announcement at his school today and we realised it was the same boy we knew.”
Earlier this afternoon, the under-8s Padstow Hornets Soccer team — which the other boy played for — came together outside the school’s gates.
Team manager Lisa Campbell said the little boy as a “bundle of joy” who “gave everything a go”.
“We are all in shock and we can’t believe it. My son was the coach, the boy left last year and was with us from U6s. He played with us from the time he was six until he was eight,” she said.
“We’ve all grown up with him, we’ve all brought little tributes and flowers and stuff here. We’ve got the Padstow Hornets ball that all of the kids are signing. He came from out of area to place with us.
“He was lovely, he was such a great kid, an absolute little superstar on the field. He was a pocket rocket and a bundle of energy.”
The team were visibly upset as they arrived, only a day after the tragedy that left two eight-year-year-old boys dead and other children injured.
“He was into everything, whatever was going on, he would join in,” Ms Campbell said of the young player.
“For most of the kids, it’s all just news to them. If I was them (the parents) I wouldn’t even know what was going on.”
Yesterday morning, the grandfather of one of the boys killed when a SUV ploughed into a western Sydney classroom said he “died with his best friend”.
“He loved everyone and died with his best friend. My grandson is a six generation at this school, all prefect, captains, community leader, and dux last year … this was my last grandchild at this school who excelled as well,” the grandfather of one of the boys posted online.
“But gates were closed, you don’t open because your kid’s late for school, distracted by didn’t stop.”
Police on Tuesday night charged the driver Maha Al-Shennag — a widowed mother-of-four — with two counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and negligent driving before she was released from custody yesterday afternoon.
She is due to front Bankstown Local Court on November 29.
Al-Shennag’s lawyer Nick Hanna said she was “deeply sorry for the loss and hurt suffered by the children, the school, the families and the community”.
“Her thoughts and prayers are with all those affected,” he said.
The Daily Telegraph understands police will allege the fatal crash was a tragic accident and it is not believed Ms Al-Shennag was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
► He was screaming: “I want my mum”
► Driver charged after tragedy
► Mum ‘deeply sorry for school carnage’
The aunty of one of the injured girls has spoken of the young girl’s horror.
“How do you tell an eight-year-old that their friends have died? My niece witnessed that, and she has been talking about it,” the woman said.
“It shouldn’t take two children dying and three being severely injured for it to come to this.
“You don’t think something will happen when you drop your kid at school. Whether it’s an accident or not, a vehicle shouldn’t be on school grounds at all. If the school was designed around safety of children, this wouldn’t have happened.”
The woman has launched a petition to ban all vehicles from the school.
“Multiple families including mine, we’re involved in a tragic incident at Banksia Road Public School on Tuesday 7th November 2017. A car which was not meant to be on school grounds crashed into a demountable classroom killing two innocent beautiful children and injuring multiple children. You take your kids to school thinking they will be safe not thinking they aren’t coming home. This petition is to BAN ALL VEHICLES ENTERING SCHOOL GROUNDS — including staff. Our children’s safety is first. Please sign and share this petition to help make a change now.”
Two of the injured girls were released from hospital this afternoon.
Parents and children returned to Banksia Road Public School this morning, still uncertain of whether classes would resume in light of the tragedy and safety concerns.
Year 5 student Eman Saeed returned to school today, which her mother Beenish Saeed said was her choice.
“She wanted to come back today, but she’s very sad,” Ms Saeed said.
“I heard the bang and I thought it was because there’s construction next door, but I saw some of the teachers running around and realised it was something bad,” Eman said.