Tragic Accident of 7-Year-Old Hit by Minibus in Sengkang

 

A coroner’s inquiry has been launched on 20 Feb 2025 into the death of seven-year-old Nivya Rameshwar, who was fatally hit by a minibus at The Topiary condominium in Sengkang on August 15, 2024.

That morning, Nivya was heading to school as usual with her family’s helper, Ms Sivakumar Ilavarasi. At around 6:20 a.m., Ms Sivakumar told the girl to wait at their block’s gate while she crossed the service road to place Nivya’s school bags down. However, when she turned back, the girl was no longer at the gate.

At the same time, a minibus driven by 67-year-old Phua Hak Heong was picking up students inside the condominium estate. As he drove along the service road, he noticed Ms Sivakumar crossing but claimed he did not see Nivya. Moments later, he felt an impact on the front right side of his vehicle and realized he had hit someone.

Hearing the helper’s screams, Nivya’s father rushed downstairs to find his daughter bleeding. Her mother, a nurse, also hurried to the scene. The girl suffered severe chest and abdominal injuries and was taken to Sengkang General Hospital, where she died an hour later at 7:30 a.m.

The driver was arrested for careless driving causing death, but it remains unclear if he will be charged. The court heard that the minibus’ in-car camera did not record the accident, possibly due to a corrupted memory card. Footage from a first-floor condominium unit only captured a shadow crossing the road, followed by a smaller shadow stepping backward before the minibus passed. Investigators could not confirm if this was Nivya and are seeking expert opinions.

During the inquiry, the court examined several factors, including the speed of the vehicle and possible obstructions to visibility. Traffic Police officer Station Inspector Jeff Tan stated that while the condominium’s service roads are not legally gazetted, drivers are encouraged to travel at 15-20 km/h. However, there was no speed analysis done for the vehicle.

The condominium had initially arranged a common pickup point for school buses, but this plan was scrapped after parents raised concerns that it was too far. This led to minibuses entering the service road to pick up children directly from their blocks.

Investigators are also reviewing whether obstacles such as a wall and bushes near Nivya’s block could have obscured the driver’s view of pedestrians. State Coroner Adam Nakhoda has directed the Traffic Police to provide footage for further speed analysis and to check if a breathalyser test was conducted on the driver. Findings will be delivered at a later date.

This tragic incident raises concerns about road safety in private estates, particularly for children. It remains to be seen if any changes will be implemented to prevent similar accidents in the future.