Girl, 11, dies after being struck by car after exiting schoolbus
An 11-year-old girl has died following a crash in County Londonderry.
The girl was struck by a car after exiting a schoolbus on the Hillhead Road, Castledawson, shortly after 16:00 GMT on Wednesday, police said.
The road was closed for a following the collision, but has since reopened.
Insp Adair, from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said: "There was a large number of people in the vicinity at the time who may have recorded video footage of the scene."
Police have appealed for those with footage not to share it on social media, but instead forward it to them through the Major Incident Public Portal.
SDLP councillor Denise Johnston said the community is in "absolute shock".
"We are so very saddened by the news that another young girl from Castledawson has died," she said.
There is "no pain greater" than losing a child, she added.
"This is every parent's worst nightmare."
"My thoughts and prayers are with the family and I know the good people of Castledawson will rally around them in the days and weeks ahead."

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Police investigate after red kite found fatally poisoned in Co Down
Police in Northern Ireland have launched an investigation after a red kite was found fatally poisoned in Co Down. A police spokesperson said tests have confirmed the legally protected bird, which was found dead near Loughbrickland, had been poisoned. It was discovered on land in the Tullymore Road area at the end of December, and has been found to have died by what police believe to have been targeted poisoning using the rodenticide Chloralose and the insecticide Bendiocarb. Testing confirms red kites found dead in December were poisoned. Read more: — Police Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon (@PSNIABC) June 25, 2025 Red kites previously had vanished entirely from Northern Ireland due to illegal persecution 200 years ago, and were re-introduced in 2008. Mr McDowell said red kites, along with all birds of prey, are protected in Northern Ireland under the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order. He said this case is 'not the first time we have had reports of this nature in this same area'. 'Two ravens were also recently found dead having been poisoned using similar chemicals, and it saddens me that these incredible birds are being intentionally killed,' he said. Those found guilty of persecution of protected birds of prey can face a custodial sentence and/or fines of up to £5,000 per offence. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) along with Northern Ireland Environment Agency has conducted a number of inquiries along with a site visit, and utilised the technical and advisory support of the UK's National Wildlife Crime Unit throughout the time since the discovery of the red kite. Officers have also worked with colleagues in the Health and Safety Executive and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Development to identify poisons being used. Mr McDowell added: 'Our Operation Raptor, Peregrine Watch, is an initiative between the PAW Bird of Prey Sub Group and our Air Support Unit, working alongside local police officers, which uses drones to monitor and protect the nesting sites of birds of prey, and is a direct result of birds being targeted, just like in this case, with very serious and dangerous substances in a number of areas across Northern Ireland. 'Along with our partners we will continue to investigate wildlife crime and seek to prevent further instances, whilst bringing offenders to justice.' A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs said: 'The intentional poisoning wildlife and birds is abhorrent. 'Supplying, storing (being in possession of) or using a Plant Protection Product (PPP), that has been banned, is an offence. 'It is also an offence to use an authorised PPP in contravention of the conditions and the specific restrictions established by the authorisation and specified on the product label. 'If convicted of committing an offence, fines will incur.' Wildlife crime can be reported by calling 101, or a report can be made online via
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Death Row inmates to be executed in Florida, Mississippi
A Mississippi man who has been on Death Row for 49 years is to be executed by lethal injection on Wednesday, one of two executions scheduled in the United States this week. Richard Jordan, 79, was convicted and sentenced to death in 1976 for the murder of Edwina Marter, the wife of a bank executive in the town of Gulfport. Jordan, a shipyard worker, kidnapped Marter from her home and demanded a $25,000 ransom. He was apprehended when he went to pick up the money. Jordan confessed to murdering Marter and led the authorities to her body, which had been hidden in a forest. She had been shot. Jordan is to be executed at 6:00 pm Central Time (2300 GMT) at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman. One other execution is scheduled to be carried out in the United States this week. Thomas Gudinas, 51, is to be put to death by lethal injection at 6:00 pm (2200 GMT) on Tuesday at the Florida State Prison in Raiford. Gudinas was sentenced to death in 1995 for the murder of Michelle McGrath, who was last seen leaving a bar in the city of Orlando in the early hours. McGrath's battered body was found the next day and Gudinas was arrested shortly afterwards. Florida has carried out more executions -- six -- than any other US state so far this year. The execution in Mississippi will be the first in the southern state since December 2022. There have been 23 executions in the United States this year: 18 by lethal injection, two by firing squad and three by nitrogen hypoxia, which involves pumping nitrogen gas into a facemask, causing the prisoner to suffocate. The use of nitrogen gas as an execution method has been denounced by UN experts as cruel and inhumane. The death penalty has been abolished in 23 of the 50 US states, while three others -- California, Oregon and Pennsylvania -- have moratoriums in place. President Donald Trump is a proponent of capital punishment and called on his first day in office for an expansion of its use "for the vilest crimes." cl/sms


Boston Globe
5 days ago
- Boston Globe
‘My client's remorse exceeds any bounds of the human condition.' Franklin man arraigned in connection with fatal crash that killed mother, child
Blanchard pleaded not guilty in May to related charges, including a separate motor vehicle homicide count, in connection with the death of Patel's daughter. Bail at the time was set at $250,000. Authorities said the most recent charge was brought after Patel's death at an area hospital. 'This is an unfathomable tragedy that has devastated two families,' Timothy R. Flaherty, a lawyer for Blanchard, said in a statement. 'My client's remorse exceeds any bounds of the human condition. My prayers, and those of my client's family, are with the Patel family.' Blanchard was driving a pickup truck that was involved in a May 24 crash with a car carrying Patel, her husband, and their two children, while the family was on its way to a birthday celebration, officials said. Advertisement Minaben Patel died nine days after her daughter, Krisha, officials said. Her husband and 14-year-old son survived the crash, which occurred while Blanchard allegedly had a blood alcohol level more than twice the legal driving limit, records show. 'Everybody's in pain,' Kirankumar Patel, 45, of Franklin, a relative of the victims, said during a Advertisement Hundreds of candles surrounded a memorial for Minaben and Krisha Patel, who died following a car crash last month. Photographer/Creator Rita Chandler Date updated June 05, 2025 at 10:36:34 PM (GMT-4:00) Rita Chandler for The Boston Glo Blanchard's next court date is slated for July 30, records show. Material from prior Globe stories was used in this report. Travis Andersen can be reached at