A teenage girl was injured in a hit-and-run incident at a zebra crossing in Essex, which has left her mother, Amy Bilby, angry and concerned for her daughter’s well-being. Demi-Lea Shoebridge, who is 16 years old and has autism, was hit by a white Fiat 500 while crossing Lampits Hill on her way to college.
The driver of the car reportedly struck Demi-Lea’s leg and then drove off without stopping to help. Amy claims that CCTV footage of the incident shows the driver speeding towards the crossing, hitting her daughter, and then fleeing the scene. Despite her autism, Demi-Lea managed to get on a bus after the incident, but later called her mother in pain and distress.
Amy rushed to her daughter’s side and took her to the hospital, where luckily, it was determined that her ankle was severely bruised but not broken. However, the emotional trauma of the hit-and-run has had a significant impact on Demi-Lea’s confidence and self-esteem, especially since she had just recently gained the courage to travel to college independently.
In light of this incident, Amy is advocating for the installation of traffic lights at the crossing to prevent future accidents. She believes that the safety of pedestrians should be a top priority, especially in busy areas like the one where her daughter was injured. Amy’s concern is not only for Demi-Lea’s physical well-being but also for her emotional recovery from the traumatic event.
The community has shown support for Amy’s call for improved safety measures at the crossing, with several residents reaching out on social media to share their own experiences of near misses at the same location. Amy hopes that by raising awareness of the dangers posed by the lack of proper traffic control, changes can be made to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Essex Police has been notified about the hit-and-run, and Amy is awaiting their response to the incident. The family is still processing the shock and aftermath of what happened, but they are grateful for the outpouring of support from the community. Demi-Lea’s road to recovery will undoubtedly be a challenging one, but with the love and care of her family and neighbors, she will hopefully be able to overcome this traumatic experience and regain her confidence in navigating the world around her.
