Days after a vehicle struck and killed a 12-year-old boy on a bicycle, another car reportedly collided with a 9-year-old boy. The young boy was hit in the same area in Manchester on Monday and has since been hospitalised in critical condition, according to officials.
Reports say both incidents happened a week apart on the Prospect main road. The 9-year-old was hit by a vehicle just a stone’s throw from where the 12-year-old was fatally struck. While the vehicle involved in the first crash was identified as a Toyota Hiace, the one linked to Monday’s collision has not been identified publicly.
According to police, the child in Monday’s incident had reportedly walked from his home onto the main road. The driver told officers at the Alligator Pond Police Station that the 9-year-old was struck after stepping into the path of the vehicle. Authorities have since launched an investigation and seized the vehicle.
Councillor Omar Robinson of the People’s National Party, Alligator Pond division, expressed deep concern over the back-to-back incidents. He expressed that while the community is mourning the loss of the first boy, Malique Barnes, they are now distraught about the second boy’s hospitalisation.
The councillor noted that the boy’s parents are facing uncertainty about his recovery, revealing that both of the child’s hands were broken. He also spoke with the driver, who he described as still in shock.
Robinson renewed his call for both motorists and parents to exercise greater caution, particularly in the Prospect area, which he described as a developing hotspot for such incidents. He questioned the 80 km/h speed limit in the built-up zone, noting that children frequently cross the road there, especially during school holidays.
He also urged parents to closely supervise their children and remind them of road safety rules. According to Robinson, plans are underway for a community prayer vigil to bless the area.
“We don’t want another case of fatality,” Robinson stressed. “Parents and motorists to be vigilant and watchful as they use our nation’s roads.”