Three-year-old girl dies in hospital, man charged after collision in Endeavour Hills

The distraught mother of a three-year-old girl who died in hospital after being hit by a car in Endeavour Hills has told of her devastation, saying she was “such a good girl”.

Three-year-old Mila has died after a collision in Endeavour Hills. Picture: Facebook

Authorities have conducted tests at a potentially faulty traffic light pedestrian crossing after a three-year-old girl was hit by a car as she crossed the road with her family.

Police have confirmed three-year-old Mila had succumbed to her injuries at the Royal Children’s Hospital after she was struck by a car on Heatherton Rd in Endeavour Hills on Thursday morning.

The driver of the car, Kamal Ghali, 24, stopped and assisted police at the scene.

It is understood Mr Ghali, a registered osteopath, was on his way to work the morning of the collision.

Kamal Ghali, 24, has been charged with one count of dangerous driving causing serious injury. Photo: Supplied

The driver of the car Kamal Ghali stopped and assisted police at the scene. Photo: Facebook

He has been charged with one count of dangerous driving causing serious injury.

Mr Ghali’s family declined to comment on Friday but expressed their grief and shock for all involved.

The victim’s devastated mother, Wenna Lin, said Mila was a “good girl”, sharing a photo and a message to the wider Endeavour Hills community in the wake of her daughter’s death.

“I lost my baby yesterday,” Ms Lin said.

“Mum love(s) you forever my baby girl.”

In her post, she appealed for any and all witnesses to come forward and for anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage to share the video of the incident.

“I can see Mila’s face looked so worried every time I close my eyes ... she is such a good girl, Mummy is here for you,” she added.

The scene of the incident on Heatherton Rd in Endeavour Hills.

A worker from Johnson Controls – an international technology control firm – was seen testing the pedestrian traffic lights on Friday afternoon.

He conducted checks at the nearby electric cable box and tested the traffic lights which appeared to be operating correctly, despite locals’ claims they had been faulty.

Chiropractor Andrew Braslis said he had witnessed a number 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 off the road, most cars are doing 100km/h.”

Loved ones told the Herald Sun Mila was a “bubbly, sweet, smiley” girl who would be “so missed”.

Floral tributes are laid at the scene where three-year-old Mila was hit and killed by a car.

Mila’s family friend Zoe Angourias-Verlin, who laid a pink teddy bear at the scene, said her daughter enjoyed playing with Ms Lin’s children.

“Mila loved pink, she was a great little girl, as her sister is, and she is from a wonderful family,” she said through tears.

“She was bubbly, sweet, smiley, happy with kids. She loved everything.

“She will be very, very missed. My middle child was best friends with Mila’s older sister and Wenna, Mila’s mum, we really hit it off. We get along really well.

“It’s really unfortunate, she’s going to be so missed, my heart is broken, it’s shattered.”

Family friend Rose Eltaha said Mila adored her older sister.

Ms Eltaha said she spoke to Ms Lin over the phone on Friday.

“She broke down on the phone, she couldn’t even piece together words on what had gone on,” she said.

“Mila was always smiling, running around and wanting to be involved. She looked up to her older sister, she always wanted to be her sister.”

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

Another local, who laid flowers at the site on Friday, said: “It was just asking for that to happen. Anything we could do to improve this particular area would be wonderful.”

More than 150 people have signed a petition calling for the construction of a pedestrian bridge over Heatherton Rd to allow children to cross more safely.

“Such a preventative measure is not an option, but a dire need,” campaigner Lee Du said.

“An overhead bridge would undoubtedly increase pedestrian safety by avoiding the crux of the problem: the direct interaction of pedestrians and vehicles.

“We owe it to the memory of the young girl, and to the safety of our children, to make this significant change.”

It is believed Mila’s family was walking in two separate groups before three-year-old Mila ran ahead onto the road.

She was walking with elderly family members at the time.

She was rushed to Dandenong Hospital with life-threatening injuries before she was transferred to the Royal Children’s Hospital.

Police confirmed her death early on Friday morning.

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

Locals laid floral tributes at the site for Mila, including a note that read “Rest in peace beautiful angel”.

“My wife and I decided to bring some soft toys down here for her, because she’s never going to see another Christmas again,” one man said.

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

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 speak with witnesses at the scene.

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

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.

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

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

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

Detectives performed a detailed sweep of the road in the hours following the incident.

The 24-year-old driver was bailed and will appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on October 23 next week.