Sky News UK reports that an 18-year-old woman died six days after being seriously injured by a loading vehicle in Chalkwell Park, Southend-on-Sea. Essex Police said she was taken to hospital after the incident at about 00:30 BST on Saturday and later died.
The force said an 18-year-old man from Westcliff-on-Sea and a 17-year-old boy from Leigh-on-Sea were arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Both were bailed until September, while detectives continued inquiries and a cordon stayed in place from Saturday.
Chalkwell Park at 00:30 BST
Essex Police said a group of people were reported to have taken unauthorised control of a small articulated loading vehicle before the woman was hurt. The park was busy at the time, with a large number of young people present, according to the force.
The vehicle was described by police as a small articulated loading vehicle with a roller at its front. That detail narrows the case to a specific type of machine being used in a public space, not a general road traffic collision.
Essex Police arrests
The arrests give the inquiry a defined starting point. Police named the suspects as an 18-year-old man from Westcliff-on-Sea and a 17-year-old boy from Leigh-on-Sea, and said both face suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
That charge sits alongside the police description of the vehicle being taken without authority. The force said the group were reported to have taken unauthorised control of the vehicle before the woman was hurt, but has not set out the exact mechanism in the public account.
Support for her family
Essex Police said, “She was taken to hospital but, sadly, has since died and officers are continuing to support her family.” It also appealed for information, saying, “We need anyone who has information and who we've not already spoken with to come forward.”
For anyone who saw the incident or the moments before it, the practical next step is clear: contact Essex Police. The cordon, the arrests and the witness appeal show the inquiry is still active, and the unanswered issue is how the group obtained control of the vehicle inside Chalkwell Park.
