Personal injury news

Brave little girl suffers second road traffic accident tragedy

A five-year-old Australian girl who won the nation's hearts after surviving a freak road traffic accident at the age of two is back in intensive care after being hit by another car.

Little Sophie Delezio is on a life-support machine after her pram was hit as she was being pushed across a pedestrian crossing outside her school in Sydney. She suffered horrific personal injuries including a smashed jaw, a broken shoulder bone, fractured ribs and a collapsed lung in the incident and doctors are doing all they can to save her.

In 2003 Sophie suffered 85% burn injuries and lost both feet, an ear and several fingers after a car crashed into her childcare centre. She was trapped under the burning car and was lucky to survive.

Spending several months in hospital after the first accident, her bravery and cheerful outlook won her nationwide sympathy, and news of her latest car accident has hit the local population hard. Well-wishers have gathered outside her hospital to hold a candle-lit vigil, and thousands of messages of support have flooded a dedicated website.

Overwhelmed by the public reaction, Sophie's father, Ron, said, "It's amazing and it's very heartening to us to see people that care for other people through faith in humanity out there."

Dr Michael Brydon is caring for the five-year-old at Sydney Children's Hospital and commented on the latest road traffic accident, saying, "I think this has rocked the whole of New South Wales, the whole country. I think it's just a major blow to us all."

"The team that are looking after her are doing their darnedest to make sure she makes it another recovery."