Antigua : Seven-year-old Destiny Marsh, who was dragged under a taxi for over 30 feet yesterday, remained in very serious condition at Mount St John’s Medical Centre (MSJMC) with extensive injuries to her head, back, arms and legs.
Police said the grade two student was walking along Newgate Street and was crossing Thames Street when 81-year-old taxi driver Walter Joseph, of Jennings, made a right turn onto Thames Street and came into contact with the child.
Further reports, according to eye witnesses, are that the child became trapped under the vehicle as the driver continued on his way.
“I saw the child underneath the car, like she was stuck while the car was driving and somebody stopped the driver, flagged him down and told him someone was under the car,” an eyewitness, who ownes a store in the area said.
“Then we got people to lift car off the child and take her from under it. You couldn’t pull her out. The car had to be lifted.”
The scene was crowded with crying witnesses, some who fainted on the sight of the child’s injuries; the trail of blood on the road; pieces of her clothing that was shredded from her back and tyre marks indicating the point of impact to where the vehicle finally stopped.
The child’s grandmother, who identified herself simply as Jeanine, said shortly after 10 am, she sent the child to purchase ice-pop at a shop she usually goes to on Newgate Street.
Jeanine said she was selling two corners away from the scene, and witnesses in the area who know her “well,” rushed to her fruit stall and told her of the mishap.
The ambulance arrived on the scene within minutes and attended to the child before whisking her to Mount St John’s Medical Centre.
According to eyewitness reports, Joseph, the driver of TX 837, stood shell shocked on the scene for several minutes before passing out. He too was taken to hospital and reportedly suffered a sudden rise in his blood pressure (hypertension).
The seven-year-old attends Grace Christian Academy School and lives between Creekside with her mom and Golden Grove New Extension with her grandmother.
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