‘It comes flashing back’, sobs distraught mum of girl, 8, killed when Land Rover crashed into Wimbledon tea party
THE parents of a child killed when a Land Rover smashed into a school tea party have spoken for the first time.
Selena Lau and Nuria Sajjad, both 8, died following the horror at The Study Prep School in Wimbledon, South West London.
Speaking to TalkTV, Selena’s parents say they are “suffering everyday” since the July 6 tragedy.
Mum Jessie told Vanessa Feltz: “It comes flashing back every day, every night, and I wish that was me lying there not her, I wish I could swap with her, I’d give anything I have to have her back.”
Her dad Franky added: “Was there anything we could have done to make that not happen.
“If it rained, they wouldn’t be having the picnic outside. All these different scenarios, every day.”
Emergency services raced to the prep school after the 4×4 ploughed through a fence, smashed into the tea party and collided with a school building.
A major incident was declared as more than 30 police vehicles sent to the scene, and 15 ambulances.
More than fifteen others were injured, including a seven-month-old baby girl, in the crash.
Recounting the phone call from a receptionist, Jessie said: “She was like, ‘Just come, something really serious has happened at school.
“I thought it may be a broken arm, I didn’t expect anything else. I was thinking why don’t you take her to the hospital, it takes me an hour to get there.
“It doesn’t make sense to wait for me to go to the hospital. And then I start crying.”
Nuria had just read out her “hopes and dreams” for the summer holidays, which included a trip to the Isle of Wight, and posed for a photo with her mum Smera Chohan.
Moments later the black and gold vehicle stormed into the playground and smashed into the party.
Smera was left with broken ribs, a broken shoulder and pelvis and needed to undergo three operations.
Nuria’s injuries were fatal and she passed away in hospital three days later.
Her family described her as the “light of our lives”, saying she “embodied joy, kindness and generosity”.
Shortly after Selena’s death, her family paid moving tribute to her as an “intelligent and cheeky girl” who was “loved by everyone”.
Franky said his parents have since moved in and Selena’s 12-year-old sister has struggled to come to terms with the loss.
In an update on Thursday, a Met Police spokesperson said: “A 46-year-old woman from Wimbledon who was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving is currently released under investigation.
“Enquiries are ongoing.”