On Tuesday, a couple living in Ambohimarina, Sabotsy Namehana, lost their 4-year-old daughter, struck down by a municipal waste collection truck. The truck remained at the scene after the accident.
Fatal accident. On Tuesday, in Sabotsy Namehana, a 4-year-old girl was hit by a garbage truck. She was playing near the roadside when an out-of-control vehicle struck her.
Her mother immediately picked her up and, surrounded by relatives, rushed her to the hospital in a van used as an emergency vehicle.
According to witness accounts, the tragedy occurred around 10:30 a.m. on a dirt road at Antranombitsika, in the fokontany of Ambohidrano Andrefana. The truck was heading to the Ambatolampy waste disposal site when a steering system failure, combined with excessive speed and driver negligence, caused it to lose control, according to a gendarmerie report.
The girl suffered serious injuries and, despite being transferred to Anosy Avaratra hospital, did not survive.
Custody
At the scene, the garbage truck came to rest in a brushy area. The ground bore traces of hard braking. The container was overflowing with waste. A mechanical inspection revealed poor maintenance. It also confirmed the rupture of the steering rod, an essential component for vehicle control, covered in rust and dust.
Gendarmes secured the area. The territorial brigade of Sabotsy Namehana opened an investigation to determine responsibilities. The 51-year-old driver was taken into custody, a step prior to referral to the Avaradrano court prosecutor.
Under the Penal Code, involuntary manslaughter committed through carelessness, recklessness, inattention, negligence, or violation of regulations is punishable by three months to two years imprisonment, as well as a fine of 200,000 to 6,000,000 ariary.
In the municipality, emotions remain high. Residents highlight the danger to which children are exposed when playing near roads, in neighborhoods where infrastructure is insufficient and traffic poorly regulated.