A Victorian toddler has been killed in a devastating road collision police have labelled a “tragic accident”.
Spencer Roberts, who was 14 months old, died last night after escaping his home and crawling onto a service road in the Bendigo suburb of Kangaroo Flat, north west of Melbourne, where he was struck by a car.
Heartbreaking footage taken only hours before the accident was put on social media by Spencer’s mother, Stacey Winning, and shows the giggly young tot trying on a new pair of Nike shoes.
Ms Winning, along with Spencer’s dad Brad Roberts, can be heard encouraging their adorable boy to walk in his new shoes.
“Are you walking? Are you walking with your new shoes on? Just walk like normal baby boy,” Mr Roberts is heard saying.
A 56-year-old driver, who was not speeding or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, was travelling in a slip lane when police say he thought he hit an animal, about 7.30pm Wednesday night.
“The driver stopped after realising they hit an object. (He) didn’t realise it was a child and has gone to a premises and informed the parents he believed it was an animal that he struck. They’ve then realised it was a child,” Bendigo Highway Patrol Acting Senior Sergeant Dale Simm said.
They contacted emergency services and attempted to revive the toddler before he was taken to Bendigo Hospital where he later died.
The driver will not be charged over the horrible accident.
Acting Senior Sergeant Simm said welfare services were supporting the family and driver.
“It‘s just a tragic accident where the child has left the house quickly and come out on the road,” he said.