Generous donors raise more than $40k in 24 hours for eight-year-old boy injured in Braybrook collision

Generous donors have rallied behind an eight-year-old boy and his family after he was crushed by a car allegedly driven by a Vietnamese national who had no experience behind the wheel.

Two boys were rushed to hospital after they were struck in a Braybrook laneway.

Generous donors have rallied behind a young boy who is fighting for his life after he was crushed by a car while playing in a Braybrook laneway on Tuesday afternoon.

Huseyin, 8, and his brother Burak, 3, were playing soccer outside of their grandparents’ house, when they were allegedly struck by a car driven by a man with little experience behind the wheel.

The incident left Huseyin pinned between two cars, before emergency services were able to free him. He was later rushed to the Royal Children’s Hospital.

A GoFundMe for Huseyin has since raised more than $40,000, after nearly 600 people made monetary donations.

The page was set up by loved ones on Thursday in a bid to help Huseyin’s parents afford their son’s costly hospital bills and any treatment he may need to assist his recovery.

“These funds will be used towards the medical bills and (accommodation) for the parents of Huseyin as they are sticking to their sons side as he fights for his life,” fundraiser organiser Betul Aydib posted to the site.

“Any input is greatly appreciated from the family.”

Brothers Burak and Huseyin (right) were playing soccer outside their grandparents’ home when they were struck by a car in Braybrook. Picture: Supplied

Vo Ngoc Thanh, 48, fronted the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday after he was charged over the horrific collision in Melbourne’s west.

The Vietnamese national, who arrived in Australia only six days ago to live with his wife, jumped into the driver’s seat of her Toyota Prado on Tuesday evening despite never having held a licence.

After driving around the block, Mr Thanh turned into the Braybrook laneway between Wirraway Ave and Liberator Lane about 5.20pm when he allegedly mistook the accelerator for the brake.

He struck Huseyin and Burak who were playing in the laneway located behind their grandparents’ house, before ploughing into three parked cars.

Senior Constable Cameron Abock told the court Huseyin was pinned between the front bull bar of the Prado and a parked Toyota Prius.

“Both the child and the Toyota Prius were pushed over the end of the lane and across a raised concrete gutter, down a small grass embankment, across Wirraway Ave and into a fence,” he said.

Terrifying CCTV footage captured the moment the boys were struck, with Constable Abock noting the laneway was a “no through road”.

Huseyin remained trapped between the vehicles for about 20 minutes until emergency services arrived and “pulled the car off” him.

Huseyin was pinned between the front bull bar of the Prado and a parked Toyota Prius. Picture: 7 News

He was rushed to the Royal Children’s Hospital with life-threatening injuries where he underwent multiple surgeries to repair arteries.

He is expected to spend the next couple of months in hospital recovering.

Luckily, Burak suffered only minor injuries.

Constable Abock told the court Mr Thanh has never held a licence in Vietnam and was “unfamiliar with driving a car”.

“He’s gone out on his own, driven around the block,” he said.

“It appears he’s mistaken the accelerator for the brake and has impacted with the vehicle … and the child.”

He said it also appeared that Mr Thanh was “practising driving” when cruising around the block.

Mr Thanh has been charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, unlicensed driving, careless driving and driving in a dangerous manner.

He was bailed on the condition he surrender his passport.

Magistrate Simon Zebrowski also ordered Mr Thanh, who travelled to Australia on a partner visa, to live with his wife at her Braybrook address and report to police twice a week.

He will return to court on January 31 for a committal case conference.

Originally published as Generous donors raise more than $40k in 24 hours for eight-year-old boy injured in Braybrook collision