SINGAPORE: A leisurely family stroll at East Coast Park turned into a nightmare when a mother and her two-year-old daughter were struck by a foreign cyclist on Sunday afternoon. The incident has left the victims injured and traumatized, with the perpetrator disappearing without a trace.
The family has taken to social media in a desperate plea for the responsible individual to come forward and take accountability.
The harrowing incident occurred as Facebook user Andrew Foo and his family, including his wife, four-year-old son, and toddler daughter, walked along the shared pedestrian and bicycle road within East Coast Park last Sunday (25 June).
Aware of the potential hazards with oncoming bicycles, they proceeded in a single-file formation, exercising extra caution as they moved forward.
Unexpectedly, tragedy struck as Mr Foo’s wife momentarily turned away from the path to attend to their four-year-old son walking behind them. In that instant, she was startled to witness a bicycle hurtling towards their family.
Before she could react, the cyclist crashed into her, causing her to fall backwards and forcefully hit her head, dislodging her glasses.
Upon regaining her composure and rising to her feet, she noticed her hearing seemed muffled, leaving her momentarily disoriented. Her attention then turned to her distressed two-year-old daughter, crying and sustaining multiple abrasions on her face and body, resulting in visible bleeding.
The mother was kept under observation for a day at the hospital and was diagnosed with a fractured coccyx, requiring a ten-day hospital leave. The two-year-old daughter, only discharged on June 27, experienced physical injuries, including several abrasions.
She is also grappling with the emotional trauma of the event and required the assistance of three nurses to have her wounds properly bandaged due to an intense fear of strangers that developed after the traumatic crash.
According to the distraught couple, the cyclist identified himself as George, an Englishman in his twenties. After colliding with the mother and daughter, he downplayed the severity of their injuries, remarking that they should recover swiftly.
Expressing remorse, George promptly provided the victims with two contact numbers, one local and the other in the United Kingdom.
Mr Foo recounted that at the time of the accident, George was accompanied by another foreign cyclist, possibly a teenager or young adult in his 20s. Both individuals were observed wearing dark shorts while riding their bicycles shirtless.
In response to the incident, the family promptly filed a police report, and authorities have confirmed that an investigation is underway. The police have allegedly informed the Foo family that the cyclist violated traffic laws and will face appropriate charges.
The family’s plea for justice and the perpetrator’s identification has been amplified through social media channels. Andrew Foo’s Facebook post has garnered significant attention, with many expressing solidarity and urging the responsible party to come forward and fulfil their obligations.