On Wednesday at about 3.15pm, the Cabramatta pram crash killed Katherine, 5, and her 14-month-old brother Harry after an SUV struck their pram shortly after school pickup.
The siblings were the only two children of Sok Ram, 33, who was crossing a street with them in Cabramatta, in Sydney’s southwest, according to Guardian World. Their father has been identified as Vundy Tha.
Wednesday 3.15pm: Katherine and Harry killed after Cabramatta pram was struck by SUV
Police said the children were hit while crossing a street with their mother. Paramedics treated them at the scene before they were taken to hospital in critical condition, where they died shortly after.
Ram was treated at the scene for minor injuries. The 56-year-old driver was uninjured and taken to hospital for mandatory testing.
Ram and Tha returned to the scene on Thursday morning and spoke through grief. Ram said she had been thinking about the moment the car came.
“Everyone tried to save them … I love them more than my life,” Ram said.
“I think about when the car came … I wish it hit me, not my baby and daughter.”
Tha described the children as “beautiful kids” and “very smart.” He also said the family forgave the driver and pleaded with motorists to drive safely.
Ram said she usually slept between her children.
“We can’t sleep, when I close my eyes I see my kids,” Ram said.
“My heart is broken, it’s empty now, everything is gone … I want my kids to come back … I can’t believe it.”
The known sequence is narrow but devastating: school pickup, a mother crossing with her children, an SUV collision, bystanders trying to intervene, hospital, then confirmation that both children had died. Authorities have not publicly confirmed speed, fault, impairment, a medical episode, or the precise mechanics of the crash.
Thursday morning: Cabramatta school community mourns two young siblings after pickup tragedy
The timing has deepened the shock. Katherine was in her first year of kindergarten and had just been picked up after receiving an award, according to an online fundraiser set up on the family’s behalf.
Patrick Te, who organized the fundraiser, said the children’s lives were taken in a “split second.” He said the family had been heading back to the car when the vehicle struck Katherine and the pram carrying Harry.
The GoFundMe had reached more than $115,000 in donations by early Thursday afternoon. The scale of the response shows how quickly the Cabramatta pram crash moved from a police scene to a community grief point.
A small memorial has formed at the road where the crash happened. Tributes include candles, plush toys, and two mandarins.
The NSW Department of Education told ABC News that support was being provided to affected staff and students.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragedy that has affected the local community and share their grief,” a spokesperson said.
The parents also thanked people who tried to save their children. ABC reported that Ram said she was grateful for the community support, while Tha praised bystanders who lifted the car in an effort to reach the children.
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Bystanders lifted the SUV as police opened the crash investigation
Police said a number of witnesses tried to rescue the children but were unsuccessful. Acting superintendent Timothy Calman described the community response as extraordinary.
‘‘The community involved here this afternoon was, I can only say, phenomenal,’’ Calman said.
‘‘We’ve had a number of motorists that actually stopped and collectively have moved the vehicle onto its side, tipped the car over in order to get one of the children from underneath the vehicle, and other bystanders have assisted with CPR.’’
NSW premier Chris Minns said the deaths were a terrible event and that the community was heartbroken by the loss of two young lives.
“This is one of those tragedies that hit the community incredibly hard,” he said.
Minns also said he was not surprised to hear of the “heroic efforts” by good Samaritans at the scene.
Police next turn to the driver, the scene, and unanswered safety questions
The NSW Police crash investigation team is examining how the Cabramatta pram crash happened. Police will also prepare a report for the coroner, ABC reported.
Here is the public record so far:
| Area | Confirmed | Not publicly confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Children killed | Katherine, 5, and Harry, 14 months | Any additional victims |
| Location and time | Cabramatta, about 3.15pm Wednesday | Full reconstruction of the crossing path |
| Driver | 56-year-old man, uninjured, taken for mandatory testing | Any charge, impairment finding, medical episode, or fault determination |
| Mother | Sok Ram, minor injuries | Whether any further medical care was required |
| Investigation | Crash investigation team examining circumstances | Final cause, speed, traffic signal status, or vehicle condition |
ABC reported the driver had not been charged. It also reported NSW Police sources said the matter remained under investigation and detectives believed the crash was an accident, with criminal charges unlikely.
XOOMAR analysis: The next meaningful answers will come from evidence, not emotion. Investigators will need to establish the vehicle’s movement, the position of the pram and pedestrians, witness accounts, and any available scene material before any firm conclusion can be drawn.
The broader safety questions are obvious, but still unresolved: how a mother and two small children were struck during the busy school pickup window, what the driver could see, and whether the road environment left enough margin for error. Those questions should not be answered by assumption.
For now, the practical marker is the police and coroner process. Until findings are released, the only settled facts are the hardest ones: Katherine and Harry were killed in a single afternoon, their mother survived with minor injuries, and a Cabramatta community is trying to carry a family that lost both of its children.
Why It Matters
- The crash killed two young siblings during an ordinary school pickup, underscoring the vulnerability of children near roads.
- The family’s grief has renewed attention on driver caution around crossings, schools and residential streets.
- Police have not yet confirmed key factors such as speed, fault or impairment, leaving important questions about how the crash happened.
Originally published on XOOMAR. For more news and analysis, visit XOOMAR.
