By Brittany Busch, Cassandra Morgan and Alexander Darling
An 84-year-old woman has been released from police custody after the alleged hit-run death of a six-year-old boy as he walked to a school bus stop with his siblings in a town near Geelong.
Passers-by tried to save little Caleb Wesley before emergency crews arrived at Bannockburn-Shelford Road in Teesdale, about 30 kilometres west of Geelong, just after 8am on Thursday.
Six-year-old Caleb Wesley, who was struck and killed by a car in Teesdale on Thursday.Credit: Victoria Police
Detective Inspector Craig McEvoy said the driver stopped and got out of the car before allegedly leaving the scene in an early model Nissan Pulsar.
Police said on Thursday night the Teesdale woman had been released from custody pending further enquiries.
McEvoy said witnesses saw the woman stop and noted the car registration, which helped in its recovery and seizure. Caleb was crossing the road to a school bus stop with his siblings, who are aged nine and 12.
“There’s a six-year-old boy who’s going about his usual daily activity, off to school – it’s the worst news parents could ever have, and any parent receiving that news is absolutely shocking, let alone being witnessed by his siblings.”
A schoolboy was killed while walking to school in Victoria’s south-west.Credit: Nine
McEvoy said two locals stopped to give CPR, and the wider community had rallied to support the family.
“CPR was performed by a couple of local residents, one being a nurse, and then paramedics arrived, and unfortunately … he died as a result of the collision, which is traumatic.”
Caleb’s family asked for privacy after his death.
The tragedy came as a shock to the close-knit community of Covenant College, which Caleb attended.
“We are devastated by news of the death of a student as a result of being struck by a vehicle while on the way to school,” principal Joshua McEwen said in a statement.
“Our sympathies and prayers are with the family and we are offering support to them, as well as to students, staff and those affected by this loss. At this time our priority is the wellbeing of our school community, and we are praying that God’s peace and comfort will prevail for all.”
McEvoy said the section of the road where Caleb was hit was down a slight hill and led to an unmarked crossing with plenty of visibility. He said no one else had been injured, including the driver.
It was too early to say whether charges would be laid.
The scene remained locked down on Thursday afternoon, and some surrounding roads were closed.
Teesdale resident Kelley Pilmore drove past the scene after dropping her son at school.
She said police, ambulances and a helicopter were already there, which was “not a good sign”.
“I could see the poor boy’s body with people around it … stroking his head,” she said.
The speed limit on Bannockburn-Shelford Road reduces from 80km/h to 60km/h near a primary school, but Pilmore said better pedestrian crossings and lower limits were needed or “awful things will keep happening”.
Police urged anyone with information or dashcam footage to come forward.
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