Coburg hit-run: Nurse tells of how she kept young girl breathing

A NURSE has told of how she rushed to the aid of a teenage hit-run victim in Coburg and worked to keep the young girl breathing.

AN OFF-DUTY nurse who was driving home with her young son in the back seat said she knew exactly what she needed to do when she saw the crumpled body of the 13-year-old hit-run victim.

The teenage girl is fighting for life after she was struck by the car while ­riding her bike on the corner of Bell and Sussex streets about 8pm on Sunday.

Elizabeth Gaunt pulled across three lanes of traffic and rushed to the aid of the teenager after seeing a group gathered near the BP station in Coburg.

The same model of car that was involved in a hit and run incident in Coburg. Picture: Supplied by Victoria Police

The 28-year-old immediately began working to keep the young girl breathing and attempted to stem her bleeding.

“She was in and out of consciousness and couldn’t speak,” she told the Herald Sun.

“She was very distressed and was having seizures as we treated her.”

The mother-of-one said she didn’t initially realise the driver responsible for the crash had fled the scene because she was so focused on keeping the young girl alive.

“No one really knew what had happened,” she said.

“When I found out the driver had left I was furious ... I was so angry.”

Police tape across the scene as the teen girl’s bike lays wrecked. Picture: Patrick Herve

Ms Gaunt said she immediately thought of her own son who is just a few years younger than the victim.

“You think it would be safe for kids to just go for a ride, but I don’t think that anymore,” she said.

Ms Gaunt said didn’t think she was a hero, but was scared to think what would’ve happened if she didn’t make the split second decision to stop.

“I said to my son, thank god we did stop … I just knew something was wrong.”

Ms Gaunt said the other children who are understood to have been riding with the injured girl were visibly scared and upset.

“One of them tried to run away straight after,” she said.

“I think they thought they were in trouble but we calmed them down and told them to stay until the police came,” she said.

Police are appealing for anyone with information or who may have witnessed any of the crashes to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at crimestoppersvic.com.au