Cameron Millen Wiki, Biography
A 14-year-old boy who was killed when hit by a bus in front of his classmates has been remembered as ‘the best little brother I could have ever asked for’. The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was killed outside Macarthur Anglican School at Cobbitty, in Sydney’s southwest, just before 3 pm on Wednesday.
Three ambulances and a helicopter rushed to the scene. They administered CPR to the teenager before transporting him by road to Liverpool Hospital in critical condition, where he died a short time later.
Penina Lopesi, the 54-year-old bus driver with 30 years of experience, was also taken to Liverpool Hospital for mandatory testing. She was then arrested and charged with dangerous driving occasioning death and negligent driving causing death. On Thursday morning, the boy’s older brother, who is a Year 11 student at the same school, wrote a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram.
‘Rest in peace little bro,’ he wrote.
‘You were the best little brother I could have ever asked for. Though I found you annoying sometimes, you were always there for me and I can’t believe you’re gone. I will do my best to make you proud lil’ man. Love you. Footage has emerged of Lopesi, a mother-of-three, dressed in a white gown being escorted from the hospital by officers and getting into the back of a police van for the short drive to Liverpool police station.
She was refused bail and will appear in Liverpool Local Court on Thursday. Her licence was also suspended. ‘She has been driving buses for many, many years, decades I’d say,’ a family friend of Lopesi told The Daily Telegraph.
‘This is a real shock.’
Anthony Lopesi rushed to the hospital to be by his mum’s side as she underwent blood and alcohol testing. ‘She is very sad the boy passed away from the crash,’ he told the publication. Her husband Tupuola Lopesi is a pastor at Hills of Praise Worship Centre at Minto.
He will attend court on Thursday to support his wife after getting a call from her when she was at the police station. ‘She just said what had happened…I talked to her, it’s very sad,’ Pastor Lopesi said.
The tragedy has sparked an outpouring of heartfelt tributes for the boy. ‘I will always remember busting you in my pantry, helping you look scary for Halloween and hanging with my kids. Rest in peace dude. X. Thinking of your mum and dad and brother,’ a family friend posted online.
One mate added: ‘Rest easy, love you lots my bro.’
Another wrote: ‘Rip, miss you lots from me and my brother.’ The tragedy has rocked staff and students at Macarthur Anglican School. ‘It’s a tough day,’ Dr Nockles told reporters outside the school on Thursday morning. My priorities are with our students and pastorally caring for them.
‘I have conducted a couple of assemblies that are age appropriate where we have provided counselling for our students.’ One local claimed she knew a school staff member who was ‘first on the scene to give resuscitation’. ‘Her concern is for his parents and the children, please pray for the staff today,’ the woman posted.
A parent revealed she arrived at the school to pick up her son moments after the tragedy. ‘I was shocked. I saw him laying on the ground Someone tried to do CPR,’ she wrote. ‘My heart is breaking to hear the bad news. We love school. Hopefully everyone will be ok after this difficult time.’
The tragedy occurred at the front of the school near the on-site chapel. ‘Our thoughts and prayers are with the boy’s family, including his brother in Yr 11, as they deal with unimaginable grief and heartache,’ Dr Nockles said in a statement.
‘The school appreciates the tangible support for our school community as we work through this terrible shock and loss to the wider Macarthur family. Counsellors will work alongside the school’s pastoral care team to provide support to devastated staff and students in the coming days and weeks.
‘These councillors have come from our surrounding Anglican schools, other Christian schools, Anglicare, the Police and the ambulance service,’ Dr Nockles added. ‘The school is thankful for the support of our fellow schools and emergency service providers.
‘The headmaster appreciates the outpouring of support and prayers that he and other staff have received for the school community and the boy’s family in particular. ‘The matter is now part of a police investigation, and the school will not make any further comments in this regard.’
Terrified students revealed how they thought the bus driver suffered a ‘medical episode’ before she allegedly veered off the road, smashing through a steel bollard on the footpath and allegedly running over the teenage boy. Superintendent Paul Fuller from Camden Police said ‘it was at school pick up so there was a lot of students and a lot of parents in the area’.
Shocked parents and teachers at the elite private school attended to the injured boy before ambulance crews arrived, while others forced open the bus’ emergency exits to get to the children inside. A harrowing photo from the scene showed the driver slumped over in her seat as a staff member attended to her.
One student who was on the bus told Seven News the driver appeared to have some kind of medical episode before leaving the road. Parents of other students on the bus also said they witnessed the driver having health troubles before the losing control.
The exclusive co-educational private school for years K-12 charges up to $21,000 a year in student fees, making it one of the most expensive in the Macarthur area. The principal wrote to parents on Wednesday night to address the tragedy and to express his anguish.
‘The incident required considerable police and ambulance presence, including a helicopter,’ Mr Nockles wrote. ‘Many students, parents and staff witnessed the accident so I would encourage you to speak with your children and if needed provide support for them.
‘Tomorrow morning we will hold age-appropriate assemblies where we can begin debriefing the students and provide pastoral care support. ‘Your prayers are very much appreciated at this time of distress in our community.’ The police investigation into the circumstances is ongoing. Anyone with information is being asked to contact the police.
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