The driver who allegedly ran over and killed a three-year-old boy outside a nursery and left has been released.
The 73-year-old woman from Heathcote Junction turned herself in to police in the northern suburbs of Melbourne shortly after 9.30am following a desperate call from detectives for the mysterious driver to reveal herself.
The boy was beaten in front of his “dismayed” mother and other witnesses on McIntyre Rd in Sunshine North, west Melbourne, around 6.30pm on Thursday.
A witness told the Daily Mail Australia on Friday that the vehicle that hit the boy braked immediately after the crash, but left quickly.
CCTV graphics from a nearby store showed the boy being dragged by a red sedan for a couple of meters while his mother went to help him.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and tried desperately to treat the boy’s life-threatening injuries. He was taken to hospital where he later died.
The boy ran from home with the red roof (left) directly on the busy road near the traffic lights.
Barber Saad Alyoshik claimed that the driver who hit the boy braked after the collision but was unable to stop.
The boy was beaten in front of his “dismayed” mother and other witnesses on McIntyre Rd in Sunshine North, west Melbourne, around 6.30pm on Thursday (photo scene, with a single shoe left in the middle of the road)
Barber Saad Alyoshik said his colleague was desperately trying to stop the boy from running on the busy road.
Located right in front of where the tragedy unfolded, Mr Alyoshik said he was horrified to see the boy coming out of a garage onto the road.
‘He went on the road, ran and then the car hit him, he didn’t see him, he hit him and then he ran away. It’s very bad, “he said.
“My employer tells me, ‘Stop, stop.’
“And then I saw the accident … I think someone opened the garage and it was just running.”
Alyoshik claims that the car that hit the boy braked after the collision before leaving.
“Don’t stop exactly, like, don’t stop, but hit him and then run away,” he said.
Alyoshik described the chaos in the post-tragedy moments.
“After that, too many people are looking for him. His mother was very bad, I can’t talk,” she said, holding back tears.
‘I was shaking. I was scared. ‘
Alyoshik said police took up to 15 minutes to arrive at the scene.
‘But I think it’s too late. I do not know. After 10 minutes (they) arrive or 15 minutes. It should come as soon as two or three minutes for the little boy, “he said.
Superintendent John Fitzpatrick said the damage to the elderly woman’s car indicated that she was indeed the person who had hit and killed the child.
A three-year-old boy has died after being hit by a driver hit in front of a daycare center while police search for the person behind the wheel (photo scene)
CCTV footage taken from the scene shows the car circulating in the area
“This woman is currently helping with our consultations,” she said.
The superintendent said the incident had been observed by several witnesses.
“We have a few more people to talk to through our CCTV cameras, but yes, we have people helping us,” Superintendent Fitzpatrick said.
Detectives believe speed was not a factor in the tragic crash.
“There was quite heavy traffic along this road at that time of night. So we are certainly not alleging that that car was traveling above the speed limit,” Superintendent Fitzpatrick said.
However, police now believe the woman actually knew she had beaten the child before he left.
“Giving this all a quick read, it seems we are pretty much in agreement.”
Officers from the Victoria Major Collision Unit roamed the crime scene overnight, cordoning off the busy road and knocking on the doors of nearby homes and businesses asking for a CCTV view of the incident.
A child’s shoe was in the middle of the road while police were examining the scene.
On Friday, locals attending the strip of shops across the road from the tragedy expressed their grief.
‘It’s a busy road. The poor boy, “a man told the Daily Mail Australia.
A woman was seen putting flowers at the scene.
A witness said the boy ran out of the garage after someone opened it. He ran straight into the road of a car, which did not stop after hitting him
Detectives are now desperately searching for the driver of a red Toyota Camry urging the motorist to “surrender” (scene in photo)
Superintendent Fitzpatrick said the boy was hit by the right front of the car, causing damage to the car’s hood.
“That child has certainly been dragged under the car for a certain distance. We can’t determine what it is, but it’s certainly not hundreds of meters. Between 20 and 30 meters,” he said.
The boy was taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital, but died around midnight.
Superintendent Fitzpatrick said the boy’s family was overwhelmed with grief.
“We will provide them with all the support and well-being they need from our perspective, but they currently have family and friends around them,” he said.
“But as you can imagine, losing a child as beautiful as this will be devastating and they will be like that for a while.”
Police believe the boy was simply released from his mother and rushed to the road.
“In this case it seems pretty inevitable, but again we have to always be mindful of our circumstances, paying attention because at the very least you can face things,” Superintendent Fitzpatrick said.
Anyone who has witnessed the incident, has images on the dashboard or any other information that may assist the police with their inquiries, is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000.