Schoolgirl hit and killed by truck
There has been an outpouring of grief following the death of a Melbourne schoolgirl who was hit and killed by an out-of-control truck in Richmond yesterday.
Melbourne Girls' College pupil Jessalyn Leong was waiting at a tram stop with friends on a footpath in Bridge Road when she was killed, shortly after 3pm.
Victoria Police say the driver of a white Mitsubishi tray truck lost control and clipped the rear of a 4WD before mounting the pavement and striking a bench and a rubbish bin.
The teenager was then hit by the truck and pinned under the vehicle.
She died at the scene.
Close friend Shania told Seven News she was waiting at the stop with Jessalyn following a shopping trip when she saw the truck veering towards the footpath.
"We were just standing talking normally, and the truck just came out of nowhere and took her with it," she said.
Shania was able to escape the wayward truck's path, but Jessalyn did not see it in time.
Mourners gathered at the site where Jessalyn was killed today to lay flowers and tributes.
Friends have described Jessalyn as a 'beautiful' and 'quiet' young girl.
The teenager's best friend Eden Ahmed told Seven News: "We always hung out with each other. She will be missed a lot. She didn't deserve to go. She was like a sister to me.
Tributes have also poured into a special Facebook page set up in Jessalyn's memory.
One friend said Jessalyn will be remembered as a 'lovely, smart, talented, beautiful and kind-hearted young girl who was a friend to everyone'.
"Your life was taken away from us too soon, it wasn't your time," the post read.
Jessalyn's family are a large part of the East Timorese community.
Her parents were refugees but Jessalyn was born in Australia.
Police are investigating, but no charges have been laid.
