Five-month-old baby is killed when a pram rolls into traffic in New Zealand and is hit by a van 'after mum forgot to put the brakes on'

 

• Five-month-old baby has died after pram was hit by a van in New Zealand
• Pram rolled across two-lane road before being hit, sending basket flying 
• Driver Sudhir Saksena says mother admitted that she forget to put brake on 
• Saksena says he 'can't sleep, can't drive, can't do anything' since the crash 

A five-month-old baby has died after the child's pram rolled into the road and was hit by a van in New Zealand. 

Van driver Sudhir Saksena said he was travelling home to get some work tools in northern Auckland around 9am Monday when the pram 'came out of nowhere'.

Saksena hit the brakes but was unable to stop in time, as witnesses said the pram's basket was thrown 50ft from the force of the impact.

The baby was rushed to hospital in critical condition, but died several hours later.

Saksena said the 'panicked' mother admitted that she had forgotten to put the pram's brake on, causing it to roll down a hill and into the road.

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A five-month-old baby has died after a pram the child was in rolled off a pavement in Auckland (left), crossed a lane of traffic (centre) and was then hit by a van coming uphill (right lane)

Speaking to the New Zealand Herald, he said: 'I didn't know what to do. I went to work but I couldn't do anything, so I just went home. 

'I can't sleep, I can't drive, I can't do anything. I can't believe it. I really feel sorry for the baby and the family. It's a nightmare.' 

Speaking about the moments after the collision, he added: 'The mother was in shock ... then she asked what happened and she started to cry.' 

Saksena said he was driving uphill, on the opposite side of the road to the mother's house, between 12mph and 20mph when the pram rolled out into the street.

A witness, Kevin Walker, said the pram rolled through a narrow gap between two cars in the near-side lane, before heading into the opposite lane.

It was there that Saksena's van hit it, sending the basket flying. 

Walker described the crash as 'an absolute freak accident', adding: 'You could probably have that happen 100 times and it would not have hit anything.'

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Distraught van driver Sudhir Saksena said the child's 'panicked' mother admitted to him at the scene that she had forgotten to put the pram's brake on (file image)

A third witness, named only as Ali, said the body of the pram had to be pulled out of the front of the van, and left a large dent behind.

Meanwhile the basket was left with scrapes on it. He added that the baby must have been buckled in, since the infant stayed inside the basket.

A St John Ambulance spokesman said the baby was taken to Starship Children’s Hospital, a 12-minute drive away, in a critical condition.

Despite medic's best efforts, the child was pronounced dead at 4pm.

Police say the serious crash unit is investigating the accident, and everyone involved is being given support. The case will also be forwarded to the coroner.