Sydney schoolgirl’s award-winning day ends in tragedy as she and baby brother are killed in horror crash in Cabramatta

A five-year-old girl proudly showed her mother a school award moments before she and her baby brother were killed in a crash in Sydney’s south-west. 

Katherine, five, and her brother Harry, one, were killed when a vehicle struck them as they crossed the road with their mother, Sok, 33, at the intersection of Joseph Street and Gilbert Street in Cabramatta at 3.15pm on Wednesday. 

Friend Patrick Te has spoken out about the ‘split second’ in which the mother lost her children.

‘Their mother, Sok, was picking up Katherine from school. Katherine, who was in her first year of kindergarten, was excited to go home after just receiving an award,’ he said.

‘As they were crossing the road together, heading back to the car, an oncoming vehicle suddenly struck both Katherine and the pram where Harry was sitting.

‘A mother not only lost a child – she lost both of her children, her only two children.

‘Please kiss and hold your kids tight. Cherish every moment, because time with them is never promised.’

Fairfield City Police Acting Superintendent Timothy Calman said members of the public played a ‘phenomenal’ role in attempting to save the children.

‘The community involved here this afternoon was … I can only say it’s phenomenal,’ he said.

‘We’ve had a number of motorists that actually stopped, and collectively have moved the vehicle onto its side, tipped the car over, in order to get one of the children from underneath the vehicle.

‘Other bystanders have assisted with CPR to assist the children and the children’s mother.’

Eight men assisted at the scene but only four have spoken to police. Investigators are hoping to speak with the others.

Emergency services rushed both children to hospital in a critical condition following the crash, but they later died. 

Their mother was treated at the scene for minor injuries, while the driver, a 56-year-old man, was uninjured.

The driver was arrested and taken to Liverpool Hospital for mandatory blood and urine testing. He was released without charge at this time, pending further investigation.

Acting Supt Calman said the driver was not known to police.

The driver of the SUV has been released without charge, with further investigations now underway.

‘It’s probably one of the most confronting scenes that police have come across involving young children,’ he said.

A man who lives two houses from the crash site said he was horrified: ‘It’s horrible. It’s tragic.’ 

One neighbour who regularly walks through the intersection described the tragedy as ‘an accident waiting to happen’.

‘It’s like a racetrack around here,’ they said.

‘It takes ages to cross the road. You can’t see past the trees and parked cars. They need cutting down.’

A report on the children’s deaths will be prepared for the coroner.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Typical investigations into a crash require extensive inquiries, interviews with all parties involved, reviews of CCTV and dashcam footage, and specialist forensic examination of the scene and the vehicles involved. 

Charges are dependent on the evaluation of the evidence. 

The Daily Mail has contacted Fairfield City Council and the MP for Cabramatta Dai Le for comment.

This is a breaking story. More to come