Baby killed after local government car hurtles on to pavement in northern China
PUBLISHED : Tuesday, 27 October, 2015, 2:08pm
UPDATED : Tuesday, 27 October, 2015, 2:08pm
Andrea Chen
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The scene of the accident in Henan province. Photo: Dahe Daily
A baby was killed in northern China after it was hit by a local government car that drove on to a pavement and finally smashed into a tree, a newspaper reported.
A witness claimed the health chief of Xinji township in Henan province, Wang Zhikun, was driving the car when it hit the baby’s pushchair, but police said an initial investigation showed it was driven by another member of staff in the department, the Dahe Daily said.
The baby’s mother was also hit by the car during the incident on Sunday.
Witnesses surrounded the vehicle and forced out the driver, but he managed to flee into a nearby health bureau.
“He smelled drunk,” one witness told the newspaper.
The baby died later in hospital.
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The father said he had heard that Wang attended the funeral of another local official’s mother at noon on Sunday and might have drunk during a later banquet.
Police said they had detained a staff member at the health bureau who they believe was responsible for the accident.
