Selena Lau, eight, was “intelligent, cheeky and loved”
By Tanya Gupta & PA News
BBC News
An eight-year-old girl who was killed when a Land Rover crashed through a school fence was “adored and loved by everyone”, her family have said.
In tribute, they said Selena Lau, who died in Wimbledon on Thursday, was “an intelligent and cheeky girl”.
Several people including a seven-month-old girl were taken to hospital after a car crashed into the grounds of The Study Preparatory School.
An eight-year-old girl and a woman in her 40s remain in a critical condition.
Earlier, the driver of the car, a 46-year-old woman who had been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, was bailed until late July.
‘Shining star’
In a statement released through the Met Police, the family released a picture of Selena beaming in her school uniform and paid tribute to the schoolgirl.
They said: “Selena was an intelligent and cheeky girl adored and loved by everyone. The family wishes their privacy to be respected at this sad time”.
Flowers and tributes have been left at the school, in south-west London, where the police cordon was removed on Friday.
One note left with flowers by a woman wearing a sling around her arm read: “Dear Selena, you will always be our shining star. We will miss you so much.”
The note included a picture of a star and had kisses on it.
An end-of-term tea party had been taking place at the school when the Land Rover crashed through the fence and into a building.
Image source, PA Media
A tribute left at the school said Selena would always be a “shining star”
Both the family of the eight-year-old girl who died and the family of the eight-year-old girl in a life-threatening condition are being supported by family liaison officers.
London Ambulance Service sent 15 ambulances to the scene and treated 16 people after the incident. Twelve were taken to hospital.
A local teacher, who asked not to be named, said her friend had children who went to the school and they had suffered injuries including fractures and a broken pelvis.
The driver of the car suffered injuries that were described as not life-threatening.
One line of inquiry is that she had suffered a medical incident, the BBC understands.
Image source, PA Media
A gold-coloured Land Rover could be seen on school grounds surrounded by emergency responders on Thursday
Members of the Wimbledon Common Golf Glub, which is opposite the school, held a minute’s silence outside the school gates on Friday.
Club chairman Peter Thompson said: “It’s just so sad to lose someone so young.”
The school said in a statement it was “profoundly shocked”, adding: “Our thoughts are with the bereaved family and with the families of those injured at this terrible time.”
Det Ch Supt Clair Kelland, local policing commander for south-west London, said: “It is difficult to imagine the pain and upset the families of those involved are going through and we will do all we can to support them as our investigation continues.
“I understand many people will want answers about how this happened and there is a team of detectives working to establish the circumstances.”
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