A life cut short.
I don't really know what to say right now. I have no words that sound right.
On Monday afternoon, a little boy was crossing a road with his mum, and little brother. He was crossing safely, he was holding his mummy's hand, the traffic was at a red light. He should have been SAFE.
But no. Some bastard on a motorbike, who had no license and no insurance, jumped the red light, and rode - over the speed limit - straight into him, and kept on going. The force of the bike ripped the boy from his mother's hand, and he died soon after.
That little boy was Joseph Ball. He was 6 years old, the same age as my son. In fact - he was my sons friend. They were in the same class at school. He was crossing that road with his mum at exactly the same time that my son was crossing the same road with his childminder, not even 100 metres away.
The local community is devastated. Parents, children and teachers are struggling to come to terms with what has happened. How do you explain to a six year old that a child who they've been at school with every day suddenly won't be coming back? Death should not be a figure in a child's life, especially such a sudden and senseless death as this.
Hundreds of parents cross that road with their children every day. Hell, *I've* even crossed it with Damien. It could have been any one of us. That is a very difficult thing to come to terms with.
I can't even imagine the pain and loss that Joe's family are feeling right now. As a mother, just thinking about this senseless, inexplicable loss of such a young life, from my somewhat distant perspective is agonising, and makes me cry every time.
The biker did eventually hand himself in. He is being charged with causing a death by dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving without insurance, and driving without a license. He faces the magistrate courts early Thursday morning. I have hopes that it will be moved to a crown court, and that the bastard will spend a very long time behind bars. But what comfort is that to the family? It won't bring that lovely little boy back, will it.
There is a petition going around to get a crossing installed at the point where the majority of people cross - the point where Joseph died. In this particular instance, I don't think a crossing would have helped, as the murderer, (I can not bring myself to think of this as an accident, when the man in question was unlicensed, uninsured, speeding, and fled the scene), had already skipped one red light. A pelican crossing would have meant nothing to him. However, I do think a crossing here is a good idea.
The council are saying no, though. They won't put a crossing in the area unless 4 deaths are reported at the same site within 3 years. Let us pray it does not come to that. Some parents are talking about picketing the council offices. I don't know whether the talks are serious, or whether it would even have any difference, but let's see.
In the mean time, if anyone reading this happens to be in the Southend area, the Charity Shop across from Balmoral Road, along London road are requesting signatures for their petition. It take 2 minutes to fill in your details. Please consider it.
Edit: The petition has now been made available online, so even if you are not in the Southend area, please please PLEASE sign it. Whether it makes a difference or not, it has to be worth 2 minutes to try, right?
--------->Sign here<---------
On Monday afternoon, a little boy was crossing a road with his mum, and little brother. He was crossing safely, he was holding his mummy's hand, the traffic was at a red light. He should have been SAFE.
But no. Some bastard on a motorbike, who had no license and no insurance, jumped the red light, and rode - over the speed limit - straight into him, and kept on going. The force of the bike ripped the boy from his mother's hand, and he died soon after.
That little boy was Joseph Ball. He was 6 years old, the same age as my son. In fact - he was my sons friend. They were in the same class at school. He was crossing that road with his mum at exactly the same time that my son was crossing the same road with his childminder, not even 100 metres away.
The local community is devastated. Parents, children and teachers are struggling to come to terms with what has happened. How do you explain to a six year old that a child who they've been at school with every day suddenly won't be coming back? Death should not be a figure in a child's life, especially such a sudden and senseless death as this.
Hundreds of parents cross that road with their children every day. Hell, *I've* even crossed it with Damien. It could have been any one of us. That is a very difficult thing to come to terms with.
I can't even imagine the pain and loss that Joe's family are feeling right now. As a mother, just thinking about this senseless, inexplicable loss of such a young life, from my somewhat distant perspective is agonising, and makes me cry every time.
The biker did eventually hand himself in. He is being charged with causing a death by dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving without insurance, and driving without a license. He faces the magistrate courts early Thursday morning. I have hopes that it will be moved to a crown court, and that the bastard will spend a very long time behind bars. But what comfort is that to the family? It won't bring that lovely little boy back, will it.
There is a petition going around to get a crossing installed at the point where the majority of people cross - the point where Joseph died. In this particular instance, I don't think a crossing would have helped, as the murderer, (I can not bring myself to think of this as an accident, when the man in question was unlicensed, uninsured, speeding, and fled the scene), had already skipped one red light. A pelican crossing would have meant nothing to him. However, I do think a crossing here is a good idea.
The council are saying no, though. They won't put a crossing in the area unless 4 deaths are reported at the same site within 3 years. Let us pray it does not come to that. Some parents are talking about picketing the council offices. I don't know whether the talks are serious, or whether it would even have any difference, but let's see.
In the mean time, if anyone reading this happens to be in the Southend area, the Charity Shop across from Balmoral Road, along London road are requesting signatures for their petition. It take 2 minutes to fill in your details. Please consider it.
Edit: The petition has now been made available online, so even if you are not in the Southend area, please please PLEASE sign it. Whether it makes a difference or not, it has to be worth 2 minutes to try, right?
--------->Sign here<---------