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'I'm numb': Tragic details emerge after four kids killed on footpath

Four children have died and a fifth is in a critical condition after they were allegedly hit by a four-wheel drive while on a footpath in Sydney's northwest.

The driver was arrested after allegedly returning a positive result in a roadside breath test and has been taken for a breath analysis.

He’s been charged with 20 offences, including manslaughter and high-range drink-driving, police said.

Three of the children killed in Saturday night's incident near Parramatta were siblings and the fourth was a family friend, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

Emergency services were called to Oatlands before 8pm on Saturday, but four of the children died at the scene, police said.

A fifth child, 10, was taken to The Children's Hospital in Westmead in a critical condition.

Daniel Abdullah is pictured.
Daniel Abdullah lost three of his children on Saturday night. Source: ABC

Two girls, aged 10 and 13, were taken to hospital, both in a serious but stable condition, a NSW Ambulance spokeswoman said.

The heartbroken father of the three kids killed Daniel Abdallah told reporters the other child who died was the daughter of his cousin.

“I don’t know what to say, I’m numb,” he told reporters.

Mr Abdallah described his son as “a very handsome boy” who enjoyed playing basketball.

"Actually he woke up that morning and said, 'We're going to play this game for Kobe',” he said.

He added one daughter was his “little helper” and the other "my little diva, little actress".

"They have gone to a better place," he said.

The group of seven children had been on the footpath on their way to buy ice cream when police believe the 4WD mounted the kerb and hit them, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

The parents of the siblings who were killed reportedly had six children.

"I can't even comprehend it," a friend of the father told the newspaper.

"He has six kids – he's lost half his family. They've lived here for years – (he is) a builder – everyone around here knows him."

A local described how residents tried to save the children.

"People ran over and were doing CPR until the paramedics got here," the witness said.

A crash scene at Oatlands, NSW.
The children were pronounced dead at the scene. Source: Nine News

"One woman was screaming out 'save them, save them'."

NSW Ambulance Acting Superintendent Andrew McAlpine said paramedics had arrived to a horrific scene.

"When the first crews arrived on scene they were met with carnage, a very, very difficult scene with a lot of chaos," he said.

Police said the family were at the hospital with relatives.

"They're obviously very distraught and under these circumstances we can't provide much information to them at this stage so that's difficult for them," Acting Assistant Commissioner Jason Joyce said.

With AAP

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