A rural Canterbury community is coming together to support the family of a 10-year-old boy who died after being struck by a vehicle just metres from his home last week.
According to a report by Nadine Roberts of Stuff, Alex Bennett was hit outside his house on Leeston Rd near Springston at about 3.30pm on Wednesday. The tragedy has deeply affected the close-knit community, as well as students and staff at Springston Primary School, where Alex was a student.
In the days following his death, residents organised a Givealittle fundraising campaign to establish a scholarship in Alex’s name. Organiser Mary Batchelar paid tribute to the young boy in a message shared online.
“Alex was a beautiful, clever beyond words, amazingly kind boy,” fundraising organiser Mary Batchelar said on a Facebook post. “He loved Minecraft and science …We are grieving tremendously for the loss of his life and for the pain and devastation his family are feeling,” Stuff has quoted.
By Monday morning, the fundraiser had collected about $2900.
Springston School informed parents of the loss in a statement last Thursday.
“With permission from the family I am able to share it is our beautiful Alex Bennett,” as quoted by Stuff.
The school said it could not provide further details about the incident but confirmed that the school bus was not involved.
“Our thoughts are with Kylie, Guyan and their family. Our hearts go out to them, and we are so grateful for the kindness, support and love shown by our community as we navigate the tragic loss of one of our precious tamariki,” the statement concluded, according to Stuff.
The school has invited the community to attend a celebration of Alex’s life on Wednesday afternoon at the Springston Community Hall.
“The family would be deeply touched to have those who knew and loved Alex gather together to share memories, find comfort in one another, and honour the joy he brought to our lives,” the school said.
“The family has expressed how much they appreciate the incredible outpouring of love and support from our school whānau. This is a time to stand together and reflect on the beautiful light that Alex was in our kura. As we navigate this time together, please remember to hold each other close and reach out if you or your tamariki need extra support,” Stuff has quoted.
Police said investigations into the incident were ongoing. Canterbury Rural Area Commander Inspector Peter Cooper said no charges had been laid yet as it was “too early” in the investigation, describing the incident as “every parent’s worst nightmare”.
According to a report by Nadine Roberts of Stuff, Selwyn District Council also expressed condolences to the family. Executive Director Infrastructure and Property Director Tim Mason said “we were extremely sad to hear about what happened and our condolences go to the family”.
Mason said the council had no record of previous complaints about that stretch of road.
“We are awaiting the police to complete their investigations and incident report. It would not be appropriate for us to comment further until this report is released and we have had a chance to review it,” Mason said, Stuff has quoted.