Three-year-old rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries after collision in Endeavour Hills

A young child was rushed to Dandenong Hospital with life-threatening injuries after a “devastating” collision with a car in Melbourne’s southeast.

A three-year-old girl is fighting for her life after she was hit by a car as she walked to school with her family.

The young girl is believed to have been struck by a car along a dangerous stretch of road in Melbourne’s southeast.

Victoria Police confirmed the child is fighting for life after she was rushed to Dandenong Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the car, a 24-year-old Endeavour Hills man, stopped and assisted police at the scene.

It is believed the family was walking in two separate groups before the child ran ahead onto the road.

She was walking with elderly family members at the time.

Police attend the scene of a motor vehicle incident involving pedestrians on Heatherton Road in Endeavour Hills.

Two kids scooters left at the scene in Endeavour Hills. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Investigators on Thursday afternoon were working to determine who had the right of way at the traffic light crossing.

They will investigate whether excessive speed, drugs or alcohol were a factor.

It is unclear whether any charges will be laid.

Detective Sergeant Roz Wilson said her members were confronted with a harrowing scene.

“It’s a very difficult scene to deal with, anything involving children is quite devastating,” she said.

“It’s horrific. No one expects to go across a carriage way and expect to be collected by a vehicle.

“(There will be a) ripple effect for attending members, who all have family, the first responders and those poor witnesses that may have seen what happened, my heart goes out to them.”

Police at the scene in Endeavour Hills. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

A resident who lives nearby the intersection, and wished to stay anonymous, said she heard the sounds of “screams” on Thursday.

Harrowing audio captures the sound of a thud before children are heard screaming in the background.

As peak-hour traffic flowed along Heatherton Rd at 8.28am, the sound of a bang is heard on CCTV taken from nearby the scene.

Panicked screams ring out in the ensuing moments following the impact.

A resident, who wished not to be identified, said he heard a “thump” and rushed outside to see what had happened.

“No squeal of brakes, just a thump and then children screaming,” he said.

He added commuters had stopped and got out to assist at the scene.

“People were quickly on the phone calling for an ambulance.”

He said a group of around three to four children were gathered around the girl as she lay on the side of the road.

A motor vehicle incident involving a young child happened on Heatherton Road in Endeavour Hills on Thursday morning. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Police at the scene in Endeavour Hills, where a three-year-old girl is believed to have been hit by a car.

Police cordoned off a section of Heatherton Rd in Endeavour Hills following the incident at 8.30am on Thursday as officers spoke with witnesses.

A silver Toyota was left dormant in the right-hand lane heading citybound, just before James Cook Dr.

Two kids scooters were left on the median strip nearby the car.

Those close by the scene said the road was “notorious” for crashes and was dangerous for drivers and pedestrians.

Chiropractor Andrew Braslis said he had witnessed all manner of accidents along Heatherton Rd over the last 30 years.

“I’d say every month there’s an accident on this road,” Dr Braslis said.

“It’s 80km/h if you start at the top of the hill, by the time you come down of the road, most cars are doing 100km/h.”

The scene was cordoned off just metres away from a recommended crossing point and another 100m from a children’s playground.

Detectives have continued a detailed sweep of the road in the hours following the incident, filming and placing markers on spots of interest near the parked vehicle.