Kevin Quintal was only five when he died as he walked to school.
He was crossing at an intersection, in the Sydney suburb of Kingsgrove, when a car being driven by another mum – taking her own sons to school – hit him.
The little boy was cradled in the arms of a nearby resident as they waited for paramedics to arrive, but nothing could be done to save him.
The driver was taken to hospital in shock and has since been charged with negligent driving occasioning death, which carries a maximum sentence of 18 months for the first offence.
Remarkably, Kevin’s family have spoken out in support of the driver, saying they don’t want her to serve any jail time. His mother Marilyn said: “A jail sentence does not achieve anything, it does not bring back Kevin. It is so unlucky this has occurred – it really could have happened to anyone.”
Hurstville City Council had been asked to improve "speed calming measures" where Kevin was killed. The request was denied just days before this terrible accident. Mayor Jack Jacovou is now awaiting a completed coroner’s report before deciding on any safety improvements to the area.
Kevin's funeral was held on what was supposed to be his last day of kindergarten. He'd been carrying a Bob The Builder backpack filled with Christmas cards for his classmates.
Kevin's tragic death revived a memory that I've replayed in my head over and over again.
We’d just moved to the suburbs in Sydney’s north-west, a few streets away from where I’d grown up. At the time my children were five, one and my daughter was just weeks old. I imagined myself and my little family exploring it together, walking everywhere, eating ice cream on the way home.