Girl, 8, killed in Wimbledon school crash named as tributes paid to ‘intelligent, cheeky’ daughter
Selena Lau was described by her family as ‘an intelligent and cheeky girl adored and loved by everyone’
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
An eight-year-old girl killed when a Land Rover crashed through a school fence in Wimbledon has been named by police.
Selena Lau died and 15 others, including a seven-month-old baby, were injured when the 4x4 ploughed into an end-of-year tea party in the garden of The Study Preparatory school on Thursday.
Her family described her as “an intelligent and cheeky girl adored and loved by everyone”.
The statement issued through the Metropolitan police added: “The family wishes their privacy to be respected at this sad time.”
Community members remembered Selena as a “shining star” following the crash.
It comes as another eight-year-old girl and a woman in her 40s are fighting for their lives in hospital after being hit
A 46-year-old driver of the car, a woman from Wimbledon, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. She was taken to hospital in a non-life-threatening condition and has since been released on bail pending further inquiries.
Dozens of floral tributes have since been placed at the school gates and pupils gathered to pay their respects to Selena on Friday.
A woman wearing a blue sling around her arm visited the scene and left flowers in a box and a card.
She left a note, which read: “Dear Selena, you will always be our shining star. We will miss you so much.”
Another note read: “Keeping all the children, parents, teachers, friends, and the local community in our warmest prayers.”
A local teacher, who did not want to be named, claimed some of the child victims were left with broken bones after the crash, including a broken pelvis.
She said: “A friend of mine has friends who have children who go to the school. She said they have all kinds of broken bones including a broken pelvis.
“I’m a teacher and I’m a mother and it could have happened to us. It could have happened to anybody.”
Witnesses were said to have heard “piercing screams” as the vehicle ploughed through a playground where a group of children had been enjoying a tea party.
At least two adults were injured, while several children suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The children are understood to be pupils at the school but the injured adults are not teachers.
In an update released on Friday, Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland, local policing commander for southwest London, said: “It is difficult to imagine the pain and upset the families of those involved are going through. We will do all we can to support them as our investigation continues.
“I know the impact of this tragic incident is also being felt in the wider community and we are working with our partners to ensure the appropriate support is in place.”
“I understand many people will want answers about how this happened and there is a team of detectives working to establish the circumstances. I would ask the community to avoid speculating on a possible cause whilst these enquiries are carried out.”
She said the police response was the largest local policing deployment in southwest London since 2017 and emergency services had been met with a “challenging and traumatic scene”.
“I would like to praise them for doing all they could to help those injured. I have no doubt this incident would have also had a significant impact on them, and we will ensure their welfare is looked after,” she added.
London Ambulance Service said it sent 15 ambulances to the incident and treated 16 patients at the scene. Twelve people were taken to hospital.
The school said in a statement that it was “profoundly shocked” by what happened.
A statement on its website added: “Our thoughts are with the bereaved family and with the families of those injured at this terrible time.
“It is still far too soon to fully understand what happened, but we are well aware of the significant impact this dreadful event will have on our pupils and their families.
“Their welfare remains our top priority and we will be doing everything we can to support them, especially those who suffered injuries.”