Shocking new footage has emerged of the moments leading up to the crash where two boys were killed by a suspected drink driver.
Two-year-old Casper Platt-May and his brother Corey, six, were out on a half-term trip to the park with their mother, Louise, and their aunts and cousins when the tragedy unfolded.
The group was crossing a residential street in Coventry when a hatchback allegedly ploughed into them, smashing a pushchair the younger boy was sitting into pieces.
A black car is seen travelling along the road shortly before the moment of collision
A woman with mid-length hair and a black dress is seen rushing into the road shortly after the car is filmed going out of shot of the CCTV
The grieving mother of Corey (left) and Casper Platt-May (right) has paid tribute to them both after they were hit by a car and killed yesterday
The newly released footage shows the moment shortly before and after the collision, with a black car seen travelling along the road on CCTV.
The moment of impact was not caught on camera, but a woman in a black dress and a middle-aged looking man is seen rushing into the road from the right of the camera frame as the car passes, presumably to help the two boys.
Several cars are seen driving past before the black Ford Focus enters the frame from the right-hand side and drives towards the left-hand side of the shot.
Two people were filmed being arrested by police following the incident.
The boys’ father, Reece Platt-May, aunt Tia Fletcher and grandfather Kim May wept as they visited the scene this morning.
Their mother released heart-rending tributes to her sons, saying Casper was a ‘cheeky’ boy who loved splashing in puddles, while Corey was football-mad and enjoyed maths at school.
Two people were seen being arrested by police following the crash
Casper and Corey died after they were knocked down by a suspected drink-driver as they joined their mother and cousins on the trip to the local park in Coventry
The boy’s heartbroken father Reese Platt-May (left), aunt Tia Fletcher (pictured with Mr Platt-May) and grandfather, Kim May (right) visited the crash scene this morning
Mr May, pictured with the boy’s aunt Tia Fletcher (left), said the children were his ‘heart and soul’ and their lives had been ‘taken away so young’.
Describing the horrific incident, aunt Ms Fletcher said: ‘We were crossing the road and had checked both ways, there wasn’t a car in sight so we step out into the road.
‘Next thing was saw was this black car come speeding around the corner and it just didn’t stop, never seemed to slow down. All it all happened so quickly, it’s just a blur.
‘The car hit the two boys. Casper was sat in his mini cooper toy car and it just smashed it to pieces. It was like a war zone.’
Describing the aftermath of the crash, Ms Fletcher, 22, added: ‘The children were in a complete panic and screaming and crying. neighbours came running out and everyone was stopping and trying to help. They were doing CPR on Casper and Corey was in the recovery position.
‘Casper had no pulse and he had already gone but Corey had a slight one so they rushed him straight to Birmingham Children hospital. He just didn’t make it.’
She said of the boys’ parents: ‘Louise and Reece are just trying to process what happened. I spoke to them this morning and they are heartbroken.
‘All the children saw it happen and the eldest brother, Connor, is old enough to understand it all. He just keeps crying.
‘My eldest boy said that he was talking to his younger brother this morning about the black car that took Corey and Casper away. It heartbreaking they had to witness something so terrible.’
The boys’ parents, Reece and Louise, are being comforted by family. The boys’ grandfather said: ‘Words can’t describe how heartbroken we are’
The older of the two boys killed is Corey (left and right). He was out with his mother, brothers and cousins when the crash happened when they crossed a road to get to the park
A Ford Focus (pictured last night) was found abandoned near the scene of the Coventry crash
The remains of a pushchair were seen in the street after yesterday’s crash killed two brothers
Visiting the scene of the crash today, the boy’s grandfather, Kim May, said: ‘The boys were my heart and soul, they were happy, lovely, jolly boys, they’d do anything, they were just very happy.
‘Their lives have been taken away so young, I don’t know what to say, it’s crazy.
Mr May laid a football and a card at the crash site today, which read: ‘Rest in peace guys, Grandad misses you so much, he will always love you xxx’
Mr May added: ‘Corey was a very gifted footballer at a young age. He was a big football fan and loved Man United.
‘He loved his football and played it every Saturday. Casper was like any two-year-old.’
He added: ‘I got a call at work and came straight here.I couldn’t believe what I saw, the whole street was just obliterated. I saw the aftermath, it looked like a bomb had exploded here.’
Another of the boy’s aunts posted this message on Facebook telling of the family’s grief
This heartbreaking tribute was left at the scene of the crash by the boys’ grandfather
Another of the boys’ aunts, Chelsea Platt-May, 27, broke down as she described the sound of ‘crushing plastic and screeching tires’ as the Ford Focus plowed into little Casper’s toy plastic car.
She said: ‘In that moment of hearing crushing plastic, we all froze and it wasn’t until we heard Louise scream that we knew something was wrong.
‘I hope, and it sounds sad and horrible to say, I hope that they didn’t suffer and I hope they were gone with happy thoughts and not thoughts of pain.
He called for more to be done to monitor and slow drivers on the road.
A 15-year-old Ford Focus was found abandoned with its windscreen smashed and airbags deployed a short distance from the scene of the collision following the 2 pm collision. Locals said the area had been blighted by speeding drivers.
Police are holding a 53-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and drink-driving. Today they were granted a 12-extension to question them.
The boys’ aunt Tia Fletcher left flowers with this tribute near to where the crash happened
The deaths of the two boys has left the local community shocked. Residents said they have voiced concerns over speeding on the road
One teddy left at the scene has a card saying: ‘RIP beautiful boys… sleep tight’
Locals left floral tributes at the scene today as the boys family spoke of their heartbreak
The incident left witnesses weeping in the street and the boys’ shoes and belongings scattered across the road.
One woman who saw a couple being bundled into a police car in the aftermath of the tragedy described them as looking drunk, adding that the woman was ‘off her face’.
Another local resident who helped police search for two suspects allegedly seen fleeing from the Focus said officers found the pair hiding in the fenced-off open ground nearby.
He added: ‘The man was trying to fight with the officers and get away. The woman was really loud and seemed drunk.’
Candles, flowers and cuddly toys have been left at the scene of the crash in Coventry
Witnesses were left weeping after the car plowed into the youngster’s yesterday afternoon
The incident happened as local children enjoyed the half-term school break.
A local resident, who asked not to be named, described seeing a ‘smashed’ pushchair in the road, alongside a child’s scooter.
She added: ‘There was debris all over the road. I was advised not to go near as the kids were still on the road and I had my young girls. It was very sad.’
Another resident added: ‘It appears that the car drove for less than half a mile and the occupants then got out and ran away.’
Kodie O’Farrell said on Facebook: ‘Woman went to cross the road with her 2yr old in a pram and 6yr old holding her hand and a car sped past went over the pushchair.’
Wendy Baker posted about a man who emerged from the car and was initially restrained by a passer-by. She added: ‘The driver kept shouting it wasn’t him driving and saying wasn’t his car and the woman was hitting a man that was restraining the driver and then they just ran off.
‘It was awful to see such pain in the family and tiny kiddies. I picked up their little shoes and hats and my heart breaks for them.’
A man and woman have been arrested. Police taped off this car as part of their investigation
Police cordoned off the road in Coventry after the yesterday’s collision which left two dead
A black Ford Focus was found abandoned shortly after. Police are seen at the crash site
MacDonald Road – where the boys were hit – and the nearby Longfellow Road remained closed last night.
Posting on Facebook, Taya Stone said she has to negotiate the roads every day on the school run, adding: ‘When will something be done about the speed!!!’ Jo Taylor said her parents lived in the vicinity and called for speed humps, adding: ‘It’s like a race track.’
Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes, from West Midland Police’s collision investigation unit, said: ‘We are still trying to establish how this tragic incident has happened and anyone who hasn’t yet spoken to an officer should call us on 101.
‘This is a parent’s worst nightmare and it’s impossible to imagine their grief, but specialist officers will be supporting them as our investigation continues.’
West Midlands Ambulance Service said: ‘Crews arrived to find two pedestrians, both young boys, who had been seriously injured following the collision with the car.
‘It quickly became apparent they had both suffered life-threatening injuries in the incident and following emergency trauma care at the scene by our staff, they were both quickly transported to a hospital on blue lights.’
Officers are at the scene where a two-year-old and his older brother were killed in a crash
The ambulance spokesman added: ‘Unfortunately, shortly after arrival at a hospital it became apparent nothing could be done to save one of the boys and he was confirmed deceased.
‘The second boy was taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital and accompanied by the air ambulance crew who helped to administer specialist treatment en-route.
‘The boy’s condition was described as critical on arrival at the hospital.’
One man said: ‘I heard screaming and a car revving off, I only saw the back of the car screaming around a corner and it was suddenly surrounded by people.
‘A guy shouted and suddenly he had the car door open and was trying to snatch the keys.
‘The driver looked like he was trying to wrestle the keys away. From what I could make out, another person stood in front of the car to stop him driving off.’
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