An eight-year-old girl remains in hospital with life-threatening injuries together with a woman in her 40s following a car crash at a school in Wimbledon on Thursday, it has been revealed. Also among the injured in hospital is a seven-month-old girl whose condition has been assessed as not life-threatening, the Metropolitan Police said.
An eight year old girl was killed in the incident. The news came as police revealed the driver of the Land Rover Defender has been released on bail. A Met statement said: “A second eight-year-old girl was taken to hospital where she remains in a life-threatening condition. Her family have been informed and are also being supported.
“A woman, in her 40s, also remains in hospital in a critical condition. A number of other people – including a seven-month-old girl – were also taken to hospital and their conditions have been assessed as not life-threatening. We understand the school-age children were pupils at the school. The injured adults were parents/carers of the children; not staff members.”
A woman arrested on suspicion of causing the death by dangerous driving of a young girl after a Land Rover crashed through a school fence has been bailed. A Met statement said: “The driver of the car, a 46-year-old woman from Wimbledon, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
“She was taken to hospital – her condition was assessed as not life-threatening. She has been bailed pending further inquiries to a date in late July. Detectives from the Met’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit are leading the investigation and their inquiries are ongoing. They are expected to remain at the scene throughout the day.
“The investigation remains in its early stages and officers are keeping an open mind whilst following up all lines of inquiry. We ask that people do not speculate about the circumstances while this work is ongoing.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland, local policing commander for south-west London, said: “It is difficult to imagine the pain and upset the families of those involved are going through and we will do all we can to support them as our investigation continues. I know the impact of this tragic incident is also being felt in the wider community and we are working with our partners to ensure the appropriate support is in place.
“This was the largest local policing deployment in south-west London since 2017 and our officers, along with members of the other emergency services, were met with a challenging and traumatic scene. I would like to praise them for doing all they could to help those injured. I have no doubt this incident would have also had a significant impact on them, and we will ensure their welfare is looked after.
“I understand many people will want answers about how this happened and there is a team of detectives working to establish the circumstances. I would ask the community to avoid speculating on a possible cause whilst these enquiries are carried out.” Faiza Samad, who did not give her age, told reporters it is an end-of-term tradition to have a picnic at the school.
Her daughter Rania, 12, finished at the primary school last year. Ms Samad said: “When it happened yesterday all the mums were texting.
“My friend, her daughter was in Year Two. “(Her daughter) was in the back of the building. We were all panicked and we were texting each other.”
Rania said: “I was feeling sad when I heard it because it was an eight-year-old girl and it was her last day.”
