Minsterley tragedy: Toddler died when he was run over by car
A toddler was killed when he was run over by a car just four days before Christmas, a coroner has ruled.
Stelios Andrew Karsas, of Minsterley, was hit by the car outside Minsterley Garage, Station Road, on December 21 last year.
Emergency services were called to the garage forecourt at about 10.50am but the 19-month-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Shropshire coroner’s office confirmed that police had stated the diver of the Hyundai Santa Fe 4x4 that hit Stelios was his father.
A statement prepared by collision investigator, Pc Nicholas Stafford, said it was unlikely the driver would have been able to see Stelios because of his height and dark clothing.
He said that shortly before the accident the Hyundai was parked to the right of a takeaway shop called Friends, and a man, woman and three children were seen in the vicinity of the car. CCTV footage from the scene showed the woman and two children entering the shop nearly five minutes later.
Dangers
The driver then got into the car and Stelios was seen walking from the front of the car towards the back. He was run over when the vehicle started moving backwards.
Pc Stafford said: “Children that age do not generally understand the dangers of a vehicle that is moving.”
Nursing home carer Simon Jones was passing the scene and he and a colleague performed CPR until paramedics arrived.
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Delivering his conclusion, senior coroner for Shropshire Telford and Wrekin, John Ellery, said: “Stelios was in a collision with a car and not only were there several witnesses to what occurred, it was captured on the Minsterley Garage CCTV.”
He said Stelios died as a result of a head injury caused by a vehicle, and delivered a conclusion of death by road traffic collision.
