‘I am so sorry to the driver’: Father of three-year-old boy who died in Sunshine North forgives

The father of a three-year-old hit and killed by a car in Sunshine North has spoken of the moment he realised his much-loved boy was dead, and of feeling “so sorry” for the driver.

The father of a young boy killed in a hit-run tragedy says he and his wife are “broken hearted” following the three-year-old’s sudden death.

Dinh Phan said he and his wife Lisa Nguyen had “not stopped crying” since Friday night when their son Ethan Nguyen was fatally struck by a Toyota Camry about 100m from their Sunshine North home.

Mr Phan said he was struggling to comprehend a life without his son.

“I love my son,” Mr Phan said.

“We are broken hearted. (My wife) doesn’t believe it. She is very sad. She cried all night. “When she woke up she cried again.”

Mr Phan, who runs a commercial kitchen, said he ran to the scene at McIntyre Rd moments after the incident in a bid to save his son.

But he was too late.

“When I saw him, I knew my son had died,” he said.

“When I came to check on him, I put the light on his eyes, (he had) no breath. Nothing was working.”

After Ethan was struck he was dragged between 20m and 30m under the car, before it left the scene.

A 73-year-old Heathcote Junction woman handed herself to police on Friday and was released pending further inquiries.

Mr Phan says he offers forgiveness to the driver.

“I want to tell them, I am so sorry too,” he said.

“When you got a kid, they run fast. Everything is done now. I am so sorry to the driver.”

He said he would cherish memories with his “cheeky” son forever.

“(He loved) playing with his brother and sister,” he said.

“When (my) son was home, he would always wake up, jump on you, and say ‘mummy, daddy’.

“Now without him, it is very difficult.”

Ethan, who loved toy trucks, is survived by brother Jason, 6, and sister Lisa, 1.

Extended relatives continued to rally around the grieving family on Saturday, paying tribute at the makeshift memorial site.

Family friend Steven Pham said online: “Ethan’s family are numbed and scarred by his sudden passing. It is much too short a time, but they are blessed for the three years they had spent in his embrace.

“Ethan will forever be remembered by his friends and family as a sweet and cheeky boy whose energy lifted every room he entered.”

An online fundraiser had already raised close to $5000 less than 12 hours after it had been launched on Friday.

“Through the tragedy, Ethan’s parents are expected to bring the family together and take on the financial costs of funeral expenses,” Mr Pham said.

“We appreciate the endless love and support of the community around us. Any contribution that can be made to help the grieving parents of Ethan will be truly appreciated.”

Ethan Nguyen, 3, was tragically killed in Sunshine North.

Ethan Nguyen was a cheeky, much-loved child.

Ethan Nguyen’s grandmother weeps at the scene. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Ethan’s grandmother, aunt and uncles were shocked with the “unfairness” of their “sweet boy’s” untimely death.

Ms Lee said: “He ran off into the street, his mother told him to stop. He stopped in the middle of the road and the car came and hit him”.

Kim Huong, aunt of Ethan, paid tribute with his favorite food and drink — vanilla slice and sugarcane juice — alongside flowers and Spiderman balloons.

Ethan’s father, Phuong Nguyen, places toys, flowers and food at the scene where his son died. Picture: David Crosling

Flowers and food are left as tributes at the scene where Ethan died. Picture: David Crosling

“Spiderman was his favourite, he ran around like Spiderman,” Ms Huong said, crying.

“He was a fun little boy, always happy and smiling,” Ms Kim said.

“He loved going to the park with his brother and sister.”

Ethan’s parents, Phuong Nguyen and Dihn Phan, also visited the site to pay tribute to their son with flowers, fruits, juice and traditional snacks, as well as a pouch of Ethan’s favourite yoghurt.

Family members, including Ethan’s grandmother and aunts, consoled the couple as they appeared to talk to a picture of their little boy during their emotional visit.

The three-year-old child’s mother reportedly watched the horror incident unfold when the boy ran on to McIntyre Rd about 6.30pm on Thursday.

Graphic CCTV footage from a nearby shop showed little Ethan being dragged by a red Toyota Camry sedan as his mother rushed to his aid.

Paramedics arrived and the boy was taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital with life-threatening injuries but he tragically died overnight.

Family gather in McIntyre Rd, Sunshine North, to pay tribute to Ethan Nguyen. Picture: David Crosling

CCTV shows the red sedan that allegedly hit and killed three-year-old Ethan Nguyen in Sunshine North.

Police at the scene of the fatality on McIntyre Rd in Sunshine North. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Road Policing Command Superintendent John Fitzpatrick said the distance the boy had been dragged had yet to be determined.

“The child certainly has been dragged under the car for some distance … certainly not hundreds of metres but between 20m and 30m,” he said.

Superintendent Fitzpatrick said police believed the boy had been struck by the front right-hand side of the car as there was damage to the bonnet.

He said the boy’s family was “overwhelmed” with grief.

“They currently have family and friends around them but as you can imagine losing a child like that is devastating and they will be like this for a little while,” Superintendent Fitzpatrick said.

Police do not believe speed was involved due to congestion on the road at the time of the hit-run.

From the salon he works in, Saad Alyoshid witnessed the moment Ethan was struck.

Traffic cones are placed around a shoe at the scene. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

A pedestrian crossing near where three-year-old Ethan was killed last night. Picture: David Crosling

“My boss was standing at the gate of the salon and I heard him shout ‘stop. stop.’ I came to the door to see the boy running out of an open garage door on the other side (of the street) and straight into the road,” Mr Alyoshid said.

“It was a nightmare, I saw the child running into the street, the car hit him and then sped off.

“The mother of the boy came running after, she was screaming and crying.

“I was shaking, trying to call triple-0 right after the accident and there was a biker on the road who called the ambulance.”

Mr Alyoshid said the ambulance came “15-20 minutes after the call was made, with a dying boy on the ground”.

The police were at the scene on Friday morning, trying to find more CCTV footage from the nearby shops.

Little Ethan died after suffering head injuries. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Police check with shop owners for witnesses and CCTV at the scene on McIntyre Rd. Picture: David Crosling

Sunshine North resident Alison Taylor came to pay her tributes with flowers.

“I saw the closed off road and police cars last night, but did not know what happened until this morning,” Ms Taylor said.

“I cannot even imagine what the parents are going through, I feel so bad for them, and I felt the little boy deserved some love.”

Locals said they had feared a tragedy would occur there due to the safety of the road.

“This road is very dangerous because there are a few shops along here so people cross this road all day at the traffic lights,” Sunshine North Post owner Christine Smith said.

“So many people came very close to having an accident because a lot of cars just don’t bother stopping at the lights.

“We’ve got a lot of elderly customers here and they are scared to cross the road even when the walk sign is on because a lot of cars just do not bother to stop.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.