This is the first picture of a tragic three-year-old boy who died after being crushed to death by a Transit Tipper van which was being driven by one of his relatives.
Little Matthew Junior Rowland George Maybin, known as MJ, was killed after he was knocked down outside his home at 3.50pm on Saturday (20/8).
His parents and neighbours who heard the collision rushed outside to help and perform CPR but sadly nothing could be done to save the youngster.
Dozens of floral tributes, teddy bears and balloons have been left at the scene in Wolverhampton, West Mids., by well-wishers following the horrific accident.
Yesterday (Tue), his devastated parents paid tribute to MJ and revealed a family relative was driving the Transit Tipper.
The toddler‘s mum Vicky Maybin, 30, said the life-changing crash happened in a “split second”.
She added: “I was in the kitchen doing the kids’ tea when Matthew came round to see the children after work.
“I don’t know how he got out of the house.
“He has gone for the door and all I have heard is a big thud and he is in the middle of the road.
“Everybody is distraught, everybody is devastated, it was just a complete accident.”
His dad Matthew Brough, 28, added: “He must have run round the back of the van.
“He wasn’t a three-year-old kid that plays in the street, he isn’t allowed in the street and whenever he has played in the street I was always there with him.
“He was never outside on his own. There’s always an adult when the older kids are playing in the street, there’s always someone supervising the street.
“This is a community street. Everybody knows each other and looks after each other.
“There’s never anyone playing out there on their own.
“It was a family member (driving the van) and it is killing him inside.
“We are not going to let this rip the family apart, we are going to grow stronger, we will come together as one.”
Matthew said MJ, who had two sisters, Brodie, nine, and Lola-May, six, was “full of life” and was looking forward to starting nursery in September.
He added: “He would light up everybody’s life when he met them.
“Anybody that met him fell in love with him, that’s why he has got so many tributes because everybody did love him, he was a happy chap.
“He was a proper mummy’s boy. He loved to kick a football and loved to play with his sisters.
“He was always singing Paw Patrol songs.”
The parents said tragic MJ was known as “welly boy” by his family because he loved his flashing frog wellies and his favourite cuddly toy was a wolf called Bill.
They also described the tragedy, on the narrow street where it is only possible for one car to pass at a time, as an “accident waiting to happen” and are demanding action to improve conditions on the road.
Matthew added: “I wouldn’t want to wish this on my worst enemy.
“If I could swap places with him I would.
“It’s unimaginable what life is going to be like without him, but as long as we’ve got our family by our side we will all pull together. We will never get over him.”
A spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service described the tragic accident as “horrible”.
They added: “The driver of the tipper truck was very shaky.
“When the first ambulance arrived, a few minutes later, they advised that sadly there was nothing that could be done to save the child and to stand the aircraft down.
“He was confirmed dead on scene.
“The lorry driver was assessed by ambulance staff at the scene but there were no injuries other than being very shaken.
“After such a tragic case, all of our crews who attended the scene were taken off duty so that a critical incident debrief could be carried out.
“Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected by this horrible incident.”
A West Midlands Police spokesman added: “Sadly, a three-year-old boy was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Specialist officers from our Family Liaison Unit are now supporting the family who have asked for privacy at this difficult time.”
