A seven-year-old girl passed away in the hospital after she was allegedly hit by a van in the car park of a Sengkang condominium while waiting for her school bus on Aug. 15 morning.

After the case made headlines, some online commenters attributed the girl's death to the supposed negligence of her parents and their foreign domestic worker, accusing them of letting a child wait alone for the school bus when it was dark outside.

Accusations not warranted

Speaking to 8world News, the girl's father refuted the claims, explaining that he, his wife, and their domestic worker would take turns to accompany the girl to wait for the school bus in the morning.

On the day of the fatal accident, at about 6:20am, the domestic worker was standing next to the girl, but a van allegedly rammed into the child, the father said.

"The negative comments online are no longer important to me," he added.

A family friend also refuted claims that the parents were to blame as they had presumably allowed the girl to wait for the bus alone, which was not true as the domestic worker was present that fateful morning.

Blaming the family would only cause more harm, the family friend added.

Family grief-stricken

The father spoke to 8world on Aug. 16 when he was with six family members and friends who were waiting for the autopsy to be carried out.

He appeared to be distraught.

Family members were seen patting him on his shoulder and offering him hugs to console him.

According to 8world, the victim was a primary two student who has a two-year-old younger sister.

Their father works as a security officer, while their mother works as a nurse.

Van travelling 'at high speed': Family friend

A friend of the family told 8world that the young girl was waiting for the school bus with the domestic worker after waving goodbye to her parents as usual on Aug. 15 morning.

"At the time, the street lights at the condominium were very dim. Additionally, there were no road humps, and the van was travelling at a very high speed towards them from their right," the family friend said.

The girl was sent flying when the van hit her, the family friend shared.

Horrified by what had unfolded, the domestic worker screamed and ran towards the girl to check on her.

At the same time, the father, who heard their helper's scream from upstairs on the fourth floor, also rushed down.

Child was conscious at first

According to the family friend, even though the girl was bleeding profusely while on the ground, she was conscious.

When her father held his daughter in his arms, she opened her eyes and looked at him one last time.

She wanted to talk, but could not, it was reported.

She then closed her eyes.

She was subsequently conveyed unconscious to Sengkang General Hospital, according to the Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force.

"The doctors tried to save her, but their efforts were futile, and she was pronounced dead at the hospital," recounted the family friend.

Described as lively and cheerful, the family friend said the girl was a good elder sister who would hold her younger sister's hand wherever she went.

The younger sister had not been told what happened to her older sister yet, added the friend.

The younger sister only asked why so many people came to their home while crying, and why her elder sister had not returned home, the family friend said.

Domestic worker blames herself, refuses to eat or drink

While it was not the domestic worker's fault, she has been blaming herself for the tragedy and has refused to eat or drink, said the family friend.

It was revealed that the domestic worker had been caring for the girl for years, including waiting for the bus with her the last few years, and treated her like her own daughter.

"This tragedy was definitely not caused by the helper's negligence, and the parents do not blame her at all. I urge everyone not to blame the parents or the helper, as this will traumatise the family again," said the family friend.

Police investigations ongoing

In response to Mothership's queries, the Singapore Police Force said they were alerted to the accident along 23 Fenvale Lane at around 6:20am on Aug. 15.

A 67-year-old driver was arrested for careless driving causing death.

Police investigations are ongoing.

Top images via Shin Min Daily News & 8world News