Child, five, killed and another injured after electric car 'quickly accelerated of its own accord'
Tragic Fareed, five, was on his way home from school with his mum Maryam Lemulu when the incident unfolded
A five-year-old child was killed and another child injured after an electric car allegedly "accelerated of its own accord", a court heard.
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Ashenafei Demisse, 52, was sitting in his Volkswagen ID.4 with his son in a carpark close to London Bridge station.
Tragic Fareed, five, was on his way home from school with mum Maryam Lemulu.
The pair stopped to speak with Demisse’s wife, Yodit Samuel, and their son Raphael, 12, as the children were close friends. Demisse offered Fareed some sweets, while still sitting in his car.
Then, the car suddenly accelerated and hit the children.
The VW then crashed into five other cars before coming to a stop, a jury at the Old Bailey heard.
Fareed’s mum rushed him in her arms to nearby Guy’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
The court heard he died from multiple traumatic injuries, including a fractured skull.
Raphael spent a month in hospital with both his legs broken.
Demisse is now on trial after denying causing death and serious injury by careless or inconsiderate driving.
Prosecuting, Michael Williams, told the Old Bailey there was no evidence of a fault in the Volkswagen.
Police concluded the car could only have accelerated due to driver input, the jury heard.
Mr Williams told the court the defendant “inadvertently pressed the accelerator, causing it to crash into the two boys”.
He added how the car was at “near maximum speed” and argued the driver could have mistakenly believed he had been pressing the brake pedal.
Defending, Stephen Knight, told the jury at the Old Bailey today: “Mr Demisse did not press the car’s accelerator.
“This all-electric car moved of its own accord.”
Ms Lemulu said in a statement read to the court: “The car suddenly moved forward. It did not make any noise. It took off very fast.
“Yodit shouted, ‘the kids’. It hit Fareed on the side and I saw his hand go slowly down the car.
“I screamed and said, ‘Please call help, my son is dead’.”
Demisse's wife said: “All of a sudden, in a split second, I saw the car move forward very quickly.
“I don’t recall any engine sounds or revving.”
The trial continues.