Fundraiser for hit-and-run boy Carlos inundated with donations

A four-year-old boy left fighting for his life by a dangerous driver in a hit-and-run crash is still recovering in hospital, as a fundraiser to support his family smashed through its target. Hundreds of people in Bristol have donated to the fundraiser for Carlos and his family, after the youngster was critically injured earlier this month when a car smashed into a bus stop he was sitting in, in the Lawrence Weston area of the city.

The four-year-old is still seriously ill at Bristol Children’s Hospital but public posts from his family on social media indicate he is making good progress in what will be a long recovery.

Meanwhile, an appeal on the GoFundMe website to help the family cover all the expenses that come with having a child suddenly critically ill in hospital, has raced past its initial £1,000 target, and now stands at more than £5,400.

The page, set up by Jordan Crane, has seen more than 300 donations since it was created. Jordan said the road ahead was ‘long and uncertain’ for little Carlos, and he wanted the appeal to help the family because the ‘accident has turned our world upside down’. “As parents we are juggling the emotional toil of supporting Carlos through his recovery while trying to keep life as stable as possible for our other children. The costs of travelling to the hospital daily, providing food for the family and essentials, are mounting rapidly,” he said.

The crash happened just before 2pm and saw 18-year-old James Doherty leave the road in his car and crash into Carlos and a woman, who has not been named. She suffered a leg injury and was later discharged from hospital, but the four-year-old sustained life-threatening injuries.

Doherty fled the scene, but was later arrested. He appeared before magistrates last Tuesday and pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving - he’s been remanded in custody and will be sentenced on December 17. After the court hearing last week, David Paniccia Brown, a serious collision investigator with Avon and Somerset police, said: “Doherty’s driving was utterly reckless and has left a very young boy in hospital with incredibly serious injuries.

Read more: Child has 'life-threatening' injuries after hit and run crash in Bristol suburb

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“His decision to drive in the manner he did put lives at risk and his decision to run away immediately after the collision in an attempt to avoid the consequences of his actions, rather than try and help, were cowardly,” he added.

“Our thoughts remain with the boy’s family who have been updated on this development and continue to be supported by specially trained officers. I’d like to thank all the officers involved in ensuring we were able to quickly put a strong case before the court and ensure this conviction,” he said.