A 15-year-old schoolgirl was left with a fractured spine and a cut to her head after being allegedly struck by an unmarked police car while crossing a road in Birmingham, according to her mother.
The incident occurred on Bordesley Green Road at approximately 8:15am on Monday, June 15, as the teenager was walking to school. She was using a zebra crossing when a silver Vauxhall reportedly hit her.
Mother's account of the collision
The girl's mother, who wished to remain anonymous, described the scene: "She was nearly across the zebra crossing and an unmarked vehicle just knocked her into the air. She went flying on the floor." The mother said her daughter, in panic, got up and ran to the side, fearing she might be hit again. She later collapsed, and officers allegedly placed her in the vehicle without providing first aid.
"She must have panicked, and thinking she's going to get hit again, got up and quickly ran to the side. I think she collapsed again, and then they got her to sit in the vehicle, rather than waiting for the ambulance to come in to treat her," the mother added. The girl was bleeding from her head and sustained a spinal fracture, though the mother noted it was not life-threatening.
Injuries and aftermath
The teenager also suffered burn injuries and had her glasses broken in the collision. She spent the night at Heartlands Hospital before being discharged the following day. The mother reported that her daughter is still in pain, has difficulty walking, and has not returned to school, which has impacted her GCSE exams. "She's still at home, she's in a lot of pain and she can't do much. Her breathing is affected by the spinal injury, but there's nothing that can be done; there's no intervention because it's a compression fracture," the mother explained.
The mother, who holds a degree in medical radiography, criticized the police response, saying officers showed no inclination of first aid. She also noted that witnesses contacted her using her daughter's phone, and a man drove her to the scene after she panicked.
Police response and investigation
West Midlands Police confirmed the incident in a statement: "An unmarked police car was involved in a collision with a girl aged 15, on Bordesley Green Road near the junction with Churchill Road, at around 8.20am on June 25. Our Professional Standards Department (PSD) was informed that the circumstances around the collision are being investigated." The spokesperson added that they remain in contact with the family.
The mother expressed frustration over the lack of communication: "Initially, the police were calling me, but they just wanted to know an update on her injury, that's all. And since then, I've heard nothing back. No one has spoken to my daughter about it, I don't even know what's going on. There's been no official apology, nothing."
Impact on the teenager
The girl, described by her mother as a bright grammar school student who enjoys horse riding and PE, has been unable to participate in these activities. The mother said: "It's affected her a lot in the sense that she's got her GCSEs and she does PE, so she can't horse ride. She's a very bright girl. She goes to a grammar school. She's so careful, she's so soft and polite. It's like, so sad what's happened."
The mother also noted that the car was left with a dent, suggesting a speed of about 25 miles per hour at the time of impact. She urged anyone with information to contact police.
