A man is in custody after an eight-year-old girl died following a hit and run outside Central Public School in Burlington, Ont., police said.
According to Halton regional police, the girl had just gotten out of her parent’s car around 5: 30 p.m. Wednesday and was crossing a driveway to enter the school’s east entrance when a white SUV struck her as it was exiting the parking lot.
“The SUV exited the lot without stopping, and turned westbound on Baldwin Street,” said a police news release.
The girl died in McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton after she was taken there by ambulance.
Police said they located and took into custody a 21-year-old resident of the area, but said the investigation is ongoing.
‘This family is irreparably changed’
Colette Ruddock, superintendent of education with the Halton District School Board, told CBC News the board is “deeply devastated.”
“This is an absolute tragedy. The school, the community is heartbroken,” she said.
Ruddock said the board’s tragic events response team was on site Thursday morning, as well as support for staff, who are “devastated.”
Karina Gould, MP for Burlington, said her heart goes out to the family.
“This family is irreparably changed and a little girl is gone because someone decided to drive [recklessly]. This is unacceptable,” she said in a message on Twitter.