A father has spoken of the terrifying moment his 11-year-old daughter was struck by a vehicle while crossing the road on the way to church in Stafford Heights, north of Brisbane on Sunday morning.
According to The Mail Online, the incident occurred outside Stafford Heights Baptist Church, where the family was about to attend the weekly service.
The slow-moving vehicle hit the girl after she slipped from her father’s grasp while crossing Appleby Road.
Speaking to The Courier Mail, the girl's father, T Sui Dun, described the distressing moment, saying: "My daughter left my hands and the car hit her. I don't know what happened."
The child sustained facial injuries and was treated at the scene before being transported to Queensland Children’s Hospital in a stable condition.
"She is in the hospital now, she is alright, but her right jaw has scars and grazes," her father added.
Churchgoers, including Pastor Cungbik Kingbawl, witnessed the accident. "They were crossing the road, I arrived and saw the driver," the pastor said, referencing a pedestrian island near the scene.
He assured that the church would be praying for the family as they recover from the ordeal.
The church, which hosts Sunday services for the Chin community from Myanmar, expressed its support for the injured child and her family.
The driver of the vehicle reportedly remained at the scene briefly but left before emergency services arrived, leaving their contact details with witnesses.
Queensland Police have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.