SINGAPORE: An Indonesian family holiday to Singapore ended in tragedy on Friday morning when their six-year-old girl was killed in a road accident in Chinatown. The crash happened at about 11:50 a.m. on Feb 6 at the exit of an open-air car park beside the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple along South Bridge Road.
According to a Lianhe Zaobao report, the child’s father pushed a stroller with their two-year-old child in front, while the six-year-old girl and her mother followed behind. The girl and her mother were crossing the road when they were hit by a car exiting the car park. The child was then taken, conscious, to the hospital, but later died. Her 31-year-old mother suffered serious injuries and remains hospitalised.
Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported that the 38-year-old female car driver has since been arrested for driving without reasonable consideration, causing death, which the police confirmed on Sunday (Feb 8).
What eyewitnesses saw
Eyewitnesses told Shin Min Daily News that the car hit the mother and daughter while turning out of the car park.
A 55-year-old man, identified as Mr Su, said the car struck the pair as it turned right. According to him, the mother and daughter were hit by the car, and the child got trapped under the car.
One eyewitness, Ms Nguyen, shared on Facebook that the car driver didn’t look at the passing mother and child on the right, as she was only looking to the left.
Another witness, a 70-year-old woman identified as Ms Zhang, said the child’s condition looked very serious at the scene as she bled profusely.
Videos later circulated online showing the aftermath. One clip showed a man, believed to be the father of the child, cradling his badly injured daughter while pleading for help. Bystanders were seen using umbrellas to shield the victims from the sun and trying to stop the bleeding.
Two ambulances arrived within about 10 minutes and took both victims to the hospital, a tour bus driver at the scene said. The Singapore Civil Defence Force also confirmed that two people were taken to Singapore General Hospital.
Indonesian Embassy steps in to help the family
The Indonesian Embassy in Singapore confirmed it had contacted the girl’s family and was providing assistance. Embassy staff visited Singapore General Hospital on the night of the accident to support the girl’s father.
The embassy said it remains in close contact with all parties and is helping with arrangements, including the return of the child’s body to Indonesia. Family members from Indonesia have since arrived in Singapore. Local relatives are also present.
Car driver stayed, helped, and broke down in tears
According to Lianhe Zaobao and Shin Min Daily News, the car driver remained at the scene to assist the police for several hours. Witnesses described her pacing near the cordoned area, at times holding her head, and appearing visibly shaken.
After she was taken away by the police, her husband spoke to reporters. He said his wife had more than 10 years of driving experience and had been in Chinatown to pick up their six-year-old son.
“When I received her call, she was crying the whole time. She was also very worried about the victim’s condition,” he said, adding that she got out of the car immediately to check on the injured and called for an ambulance. “She really felt guilty and remorseful,” he said further. Their son, who was in the car, was also badly frightened and kept crying.
Why does this case raise concerns?
The tragic accident happened in a busy tourist area near a major temple during late morning. It involved a child, visitors from overseas, and a car exiting a car park, a moment many pedestrians assume is low risk.
It has now renewed public concern about vehicle driver awareness at car park exits and pedestrian safety in crowded zones. At the same time, the case shows how a single lapse can leave lasting damage on many lives, including the car driver’s own family.
What authorities advise in preventing such avoidable accidents
Road safety groups and traffic police have long stressed the need for extra caution on the road, which includes car park exits.
The Singapore Traffic Police (TP) advised motorists to slow down, come to a complete halt at the junction, and look out for pedestrians on both sides before exiting car parks. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has also advised pedestrians to stay focused at driveways and not to assume motorists have seen them.
The Singapore Road Safety Council (SRSC) called on motorists to treat every car park exit as a pedestrian crossing, and for pedestrians, to make eye contact with motorists before crossing and avoid blind spots.
A CNA report states that traffic accidents resulting in injuries or deaths rose 7.4% (5,765 cases) from January to September 2025, compared with the same period a year earlier. The figures show that road risks remain real, regardless of a motorist’s years of driving experience.
