Two Arrested After Teenage Girl Critically Injured in Loading Vehicle Incident in Essex
Essex police have arrested two individuals after a teenage girl was critically injured when a loading vehicle was taken without authorization. The incident occurred in Southend-on-Sea, and the girl remains in hospital in a critical condition.
Two people have been arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving following an incident involving a loading vehicle that left a teenage girl in a critical condition. Police were called to the Chalkwell Park area of Southend-on-Sea, Essex, at around 12:30 AM on Saturday after receiving reports of a “small articulated loading vehicle” being involved in an incident.
A spokesperson for Essex police confirmed that the girl sustained “significant injuries” and was taken to hospital, where she remains in a critical condition. Her family is being supported. An 18-year-old man from Westcliff and a 17-year-old boy from Leigh-on-Sea have been arrested and remain in custody for questioning.
According to police, a group of people had “taken unauthorised control” of the small articulated loading vehicle. The girl is believed to have been involved in an incident with the vehicle, leading to her serious injuries. Officers and ambulance crews attended promptly, and a cordon remains in place at the scene.
Police are appealing for witnesses and any footage of the incident. “We know there were a large number of young people in the area at the time, and we believe some may have witnessed what happened,” the spokesperson added.
This is not the first tragedy at Chalkwell Park; last year, a seven-year-old girl was killed and her six-year-old cousin injured when a tree fell on them.
