MANILA – A three-year-old girl is undergoing surgery after being hit and run over by a tricycle in Sta. Cruz, Manila on Thursday afternoon.
CCTV footage captured the moment the child, who had been playing with other children along Felix Huertas Street, followed a playmate into the path of an oncoming tricycle. The driver braked suddenly, causing the vehicle to tip over and trap the child underneath.
Nearby residents rushed to help before the child’s family brought her to the hospital. According to her mother, Paula Rica Magtibay, the girl suffered serious head trauma and internal bleeding in her liver. “Her skull had visible cracks and her scalp had to be stitched deeply,” she said.
The tricycle’s passengers sustained minor injuries. Footage also showed the driver distraught after the incident. Barangay officials said the driver was assaulted by onlookers.
The barangay is now considering installing road humps to prevent future accidents. The Manila Police District is investigating, and although the driver initially reached an agreement with the victim’s family, Magtibay said she can no longer contact him.
“If they don’t fulfill their promises, I will press charges immediately,” she warned. The driver’s wife claimed he is currently trying to find blood donors for the child’s operation.