About S$12,000 have been raised to help pay part of the medical bills of an eight-year-old girl who sustained serious injuries after she was thrown out of a van following a road accident in Woodlands that has left her in a coma since Friday, Oct. 23.

The girl, Lovelynn Tan, underwent emergency surgery after she broke both her legs and suffered a head injury.

The moving van she was in collided with an Audi.

The van was driven by the girl's uncle.

Fundraising led by friend of injured girl's father

The fundraising campaign is led by Andy Ang, 35, a friend of the girl's parents, The New Paper reported.

The girl's father, Eric Tan, 45, has known Ang for more than six years at a temple.

Ang told TNP: "He has not been sleeping all this while. We can only help him by raising funds so he won't need to be worried about the medical fees."

To prevent scammers trying to make a quick buck off this incident, donations will not be accepted after 11pm on Oct. 28.

Ang is also collating donations for Lovelynn from other organisations, including Leong Nam Temple in Sengkang West.

Shin Min Daily News reported that the temple is setting aside S$10,000 for Tan and his family to tide over this period.

What happened

Lovelynn was one of four people injured in the accident involving the van and a red Audi car on Woodlands Avenue 12 just after 8pm on Friday.

The 56-year-old van driver, is the brother-in-law of the girl's father.

He has been arrested for dangerous driving causing hurt, but has been released by the police while investigations are ongoing.

The van driver's children, his 23-year-old son and 27-year-old daughter, were also injured in the crash.

The son needed surgery as he had a ruptured spleen and facial injuries.

Tan's youngest daughter, six, was also in the van.

She was unhurt and is now staying with her aunt.

Tan told 8World News earlier that he did not blame his brother-in-law for the accident, saying that he knew his brother-in-law would already be feeling guilty due to the hurt caused.

He told 8World News: "I've not had the chance to speak to him since the accident. I told my sister to tell him not to take what happened to heart, as nobody wanted this to happen."