Heartbroken baby's mother wants to die (From News Shopper)

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Heartbroken baby's mother wants to die

7:46pm Thursday 26th June 2008

comment Comments (29) Have your say »

By Robert Fisk »

A TODDLER'S mum says she wants to die after her son died in a collision outside their home.

Patricia Brito says her 17-month-old son Kevin had just been brought back from one of her friends and was trying to walk to her when the accident happened.

A vehicle collided with the toddler in Woolstone Road, Forest Hill, at around 10pm on June 23.

He was taken to King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, but died at around 7.30am the following day.

Ms Brito said: "I just want to say I love my baby. What can I do?

"I feel very bad. I feel very cross and I do not know what I'm going to do.

"I'm not very well and I want to die because somebody took my son from me."

The 32-year-old added: "My baby just looked at me and smiled and then somebody took my baby away from me.

"I'm a mother and I have to hurt.

"I remember my baby as a very happy boy, a very strong boy.

"All the time he was happy. I want justice."

Ms Brito, who is Portuguese, says she is considering moving somewhere else with her 11-year-old daughter because of what happened to Kevin.

Nearby residents say the toddler became trapped when he was struck by the vehicle and was dragged underneath as it skidded to a stop.

People lifted the car up so paramedics could get to Kevin and treat him before he was taken to hospital.

Police arrested the driver of the car on suspicion of dangerous driving. The man, who is in his 30s, has been bailed to a date in August pending further inquiries.

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kathy, LEWISHAM says...
9:35pm Thu 26 Jun 08

Surely the baby was not allowed to cross the road without someone holding it's hand to go to his mother?,just that by the way the accident has been discribed it sounds as if that is what happened.

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S, Orpington says...
10:49pm Thu 26 Jun 08

kathy wrote:
Surely the baby was not allowed to cross the road without someone holding it's hand to go to his mother?,just that by the way the accident has been discribed it sounds as if that is what happened.

I agree - thats the way it has been reported. I can't understand why a 17 month old baby was being allowed to walk across a road at all .. especially so late in the evening. Regardless of the details though this is desperately sad. May the poor little lad rest in peace.

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John, Greenwich says...
2:10am Fri 27 Jun 08

Why do people have children and let them walk in to roads. I see it all the time. These parents must be a bit cranky

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Mother, Erith says...
7:01am Fri 27 Jun 08

John wrote:
Why do people have children and let them walk in to roads. I see it all the time. These parents must be a bit cranky

I agree I see it all the time on the way home from school children as young as this poor little boy, or near to the edge of the roads, It only takes one tumble. I find it very strange the story here, but also so very very sad poor little mite rip taken far too soon

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c may, says...
8:03am Fri 27 Jun 08

judging by the skid marks in the photograph no one would have stood a chance that driver was doing way over the speed limit 20 mph max on all residential housing estate roads now please

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Pinkerbell, SE London says...
9:19am Fri 27 Jun 08

I feel sorry for this poor woman all you people making comments about the kid crossing the road on his own has none of your kids ever run out in the road when they have seen someone they love?
I no i did!

The driver is also at fault he was going fast down a 20-mph road by looking at the photo.

Have a heart people and think of the poor family before you put cruel comment on here the poor woman is hurting.

Just remember accidents happen.

RIP little man may the angles be with you now.
x

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JuliaM, Essex says...
9:27am Fri 27 Jun 08

judging by the skid marks in the photograph no one would have stood a chance that driver was doing way over the speed limit

The driver is also at fault he was going fast down a 20-mph road by looking at the photo.

Well, I don't know why we spend so much taxpayers money on forensic investigations. It seems that people can tell just from a photograph in the newspaper !

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Pinkerbell, SE London says...
9:41am Fri 27 Jun 08

JuliaM wrote:

judging by the skid marks in the photograph no one would have stood a chance that driver was doing way over the speed limit

The driver is also at fault he was going fast down a 20-mph road by looking at the photo.
Well, I don't know why we spend so much taxpayers money on forensic investigations. It seems that people can tell just from a photograph in the newspaper !

We are not saying that we can tell it making an observastion.

Anyway as i said before have a fault for this poor kids parents it should not be about who is write or wrong as i said beofre the parents are hurting.
RIP little man x
My faults are also with the mum and dad at this very hard time

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a, Somewhere says...
9:58am Fri 27 Jun 08

Aah, yet another accident blamed on the driver by people who don't know the circumstances surrounding this. How do you ACTUALLY KNOW the driver was at fault? Even when I've been driving along I've seen kids run out in front of cars and myself, and none of you seem to know how traumatic that can be.

You have to peel away the cover of this story. Why was the child crossing the road on his own at 10pm? What had the mother been doing at that time to warrant her baby not being with her?

True the accident could have been avoided but the parents must have better control over thier children, if they did, this would not have happened.

At 10pm it is relatively dark so a driver would have found it pretty difficult to see a 17 month baby running out in front of him, regardless of speed.

He could have been doing 20/30/40/50mph but at the end of the day the child was still in the road at 10pm!

Why not have some sympathy for the driver in all of this rather than branding him a dangerous driver. Remember this guy has had a lot more trauma than anyone on here would think.

Sympathies and all that, but please let this be a lesson to those of you who do let your young kids run around out of control.

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angela, deptford says...
10:24am Fri 27 Jun 08

I'm so disgusted with the nasty comments posted about the parents who have just lost their child. Those who have posted comments blasting the parents should be ashamed of themselves!Has anyone even bothered to think that the driver should have been watching where he was going? Has anyone even considered that the rules of the road on which was probably a residential street were most certainly not obeyed! My support and thoughts go to the family who must be devastated!!

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angela, deptford says...
10:36am Fri 27 Jun 08

Just because it is dark and after 10pm, it don't give drivers an automatic licence to drive carelessley because they think all children are in bed, thats no excuse!! Drivers should be on their guard at all times, especially in residential streets. So lets not have sympathy for the driver just yet as he was the one who appeared to be out of control!!!

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JuliaM, Essex says...
10:56am Fri 27 Jun 08

Has anyone even considered that the rules of the road on which was probably a residential street were most certainly not obeyed!

So, you're sure there was no negligence on the part of the parents, and also sure that there must have been negligence on the part of the driver..?

No wonder this country is going down the drain. Let's hope you never get picked fot jury duty.

Still, at least you can spell, which is more than most of the other commenters on this site.

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Pinkerbell, SE London says...
11:42am Fri 27 Jun 08

JuliaM wrote:

Has anyone even considered that the rules of the road on which was probably a residential street were most certainly not obeyed!

So, you\'re sure there was no negligence on the part of the parents, and also sure that there must have been negligence on the part of the driver..?

No wonder this country is going down the drain. Let\'s hope you never get picked fot jury duty.

Still, at least you can spell, which is more than most of the other commenters on this site.

I just can't understand why people are being so crul the poor boy died the parents are heart broken have some heart.

And if that is a dig about my spelling I am dyslexic and i do my best when sending post.

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tasha, crayford says...
11:49am Fri 27 Jun 08

i think people really should stop blaming the driver as they have just had the shock of their life! it is not their fault that a child had walked out right in front of them! so what there was skidmarks, it does not mean that they were speeding! this tragedy should not have happened and i am saddened that it has! though i have sympathy for the mother, i just cannot believe that the mother and the friend did not see or hear the car coming down the road and let the poor boy run across it! no matter what time it was i have never let my child near a road without holding my hand! i just wish others would take more care with children and the hazards around us!
RIP little one. xx

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Lucy, says...
11:52am Fri 27 Jun 08

What justice does this "mother" want?.

The fact of the matter is, no one knows the facts (apart from the police) this is a set of cirumstances that happened and no one change what has happened, I feel for the driver as he has to live with this nightmare for the rest of his life, the mother I will refrain from saying anything about as I don't what happened, but maybe she should look closer to home before demanding justice.

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Lynne, says...
12:19pm Fri 27 Jun 08

Lucy wrote:
What justice does this "mother" want?. The fact of the matter is, no one knows the facts (apart from the police) this is a set of cirumstances that happened and no one change what has happened, I feel for the driver as he has to live with this nightmare for the rest of his life, the mother I will refrain from saying anything about as I don't what happened, but maybe she should look closer to home before demanding justice.

Well said.
Even at 20mph if the child suddenly appeared in the road unexpectedly and emergency stop would have left skid marks. At least it proves that the driver did at least try to brake, no skid marks would have said otherwise.
As a mother I feel for this lady and do not know how I would cope in the situation but it may well not have been due to dangerous driving it may be a terrible accident caused by an error of judgement.
I agree that the driver must be feeling absolutely terrible, probably relives it everytime they close their eyes.
Lets just wait until (if) the police release more information re speed etc

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J, Kent says...
12:53pm Fri 27 Jun 08

Skid marks can happen with a gentle scrape of a trainer shoe, let alone brakes slamming on hot tyres! So please stop blaming the driver until the true facts come to light! What I really can't understand is how can a 17 month old, obviously barely walking toddler be allowed to totter across a busy road without accompanyment? Across a living room carpet, yes, but a road? The parents must be wracked with guilt as well as grief and trauma at witnessing such a terrible scene. So my heart goes out to them, I expect the mother will be disturbed from now on in for the rest of her life! How tragic and sad, and no matter who's fault it is, what's done is done and someone has to live with those terrible consequences, God give them strength!

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Yawn, says...
1:38pm Fri 27 Jun 08

Glad to see the anti driver brigade are out in force again.
I would sooooo love to watch the way some of you drive.
Crawling along, on the lookout for toddlers that might be crossing the road at 10 o' clock at night....
Very sorry that the driver is having to live with this. x

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n, says...
1:58pm Fri 27 Jun 08

yawn- i bet you dont even drive so keep your stupid comments to yourself, none of us know what happened, im sure the police will carry out the investigation

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Jo, Beckenham says...
2:05pm Fri 27 Jun 08

I blame the mother - the poor child should not have been wandering around on its own anyway - we all know toddlers just run sometimes - the fact that he was making his way across the road to where she was is outrageous - and she states she wants justice - flamin cheek what about the poor bloke who hit him! RIP little man

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Why?, Dartford says...
2:11pm Fri 27 Jun 08

There's probably an element of truth in what everyone has said. If so the driver will have a lot of soul searching to do as well as facing a judge for their actions. And the mother is living with the fact shes lost her child, I think all parties are suffering enough without everyone jumping on band wagons looking to blame someone?

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Susie, bexley says...
3:42pm Fri 27 Jun 08

What else is there to know this women let her child out of her sight and things like this happen, if the child had been taken straight inside and then they could have played silly games who in the right mind driving along any sort of road expectes a child of this age to suddenly appeare in the road at that time of night, we do not know the full story but it seems pretty clear to me that the mother is to blame not the driver the skid marks don't even look that dark which suggest to me he didnt have to break too hard!!

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S, Forest Hill says...
4:53pm Fri 27 Jun 08

If as the story says this happened on Woolstone Road the speed limit is 30mph. It is the adjacent residential streets that have a 20mph speed limit. At 30 mph there would be skid marks.

I feel for both the mother and the driver. There are no winners in this...

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Michelle, Orpington says...
6:19pm Fri 27 Jun 08

YOU LOT MAKE ME SICK!
WHO MADE YOU JUDGE AND JURY ? Have some bloody respect - A young child has died, Who the hell do You lot think you are ?
Not one of You knows the circumstances behind this tradgic accident but You feel its your right to lay blame where You see fit - You should be ashamed of yourselves
RIP LITTLE ONE XX

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sue, Bromley says...
9:02am Sat 28 Jun 08

Michelle wrote:
YOU LOT MAKE ME SICK! WHO MADE YOU JUDGE AND JURY ? Have some bloody respect - A young child has died, Who the hell do You lot think you are ? Not one of You knows the circumstances behind this tradgic accident but You feel its your right to lay blame where You see fit - You should be ashamed of yourselves RIP LITTLE ONE XX

People have a right to express their opinions it does not make them judge and jury.No matter what the circumstances may been, surely at that time night whoever was taking care of the little lad should have put him in a pushchair or carried him,then maybe the tragic loss of a such a young life would not have happened.
X RIP WITH THE ANGELS LITTLE ONE X

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victoria, Biggin Hill says...
9:36am Sat 28 Jun 08

Whatever the circumstances, the mother obviously thought it was safe at the time as she will never forgive herself. I hope that one day she will be able to feel less pain. Bless you and your family x

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jenny, lewisham says...
8:05pm Sat 28 Jun 08

My heart go's out to the family and driver.Nobody knows what's round the corner,and accident's do happen.I have 4 children myself and know that you have to be on the ball with them 24/7 ,as we all know children at a very young age will get up to all sorts. So please people just think of what both parties are going through at this time,and may they get the support and help they need .R.I.P little man

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GOD, UP ERE says...
6:38pm Thu 3 Jul 08

Michelle wrote:
YOU LOT MAKE ME SICK! WHO MADE YOU JUDGE AND JURY ? Have some bloody respect - A young child has died, Who the hell do You lot think you are ? Not one of You knows the circumstances behind this tradgic accident but You feel its your right to lay blame where You see fit - You should be ashamed of yourselves RIP LITTLE ONE XX

OH Are you in charge then, I thought this was about opinion.

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ben, beckenham says...
2:58pm Mon 7 Jul 08

After reading the story I felt more for the mother as she's lost her baby. That dosn't mean I think the driver was at fault and the mother is right. Although I find it hard to believe anyone in their right mind would let a baby cross the road on his/her own regardless of the time of day or speed limit, I feel for the mother. The driver who may or may not be at fault has to live with this nightmare for life. People say alot of strange things in the heat of the moment. The mother has just suffered the biggest loss she'll ever feel and has made some silly comments. My thoughts are with all concerned.

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