Young mum fights for life after suspected Christmas Day hit-and-run

A young mother is fighting for life in hospital after a suspected hit-and-run smash in Adelaide on Christmas Day.

Police were confronted with a bloody scene just after 3am on Tuesday after finding Cassandra Wanganeen-Karpeny lying in the middle of a road in Blakeview in the city’s north.

Officers believe she was struck by a car and possibly left for dead.

Police are still hunting the driver responsible, but say it’s possible they might not realise they struck the young woman.

“At this stage we don’t have any witnesses, we don’t have any indication what kind of vehicle may have been involved in this,” South Australia Police Inspector Amit Sareen said.

A passing motorist first raised the alarm, but it is unclear how long the young woman had been there for and if she was lying on the road when the crash happened.

“That is a possibility that she may have been lying on the road. But it’s too early in the investigation to comment on that,” Inspector Sareen said.

Ms Wanganeen-Karpeny was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital with serious injuries and has undergone surgery. She remains in a critical condition.

The young mother’s cousin posted on Facebook after the incident, saying she could not think of anything worse, especially on Christmas.

With the festive season far from over, authorities are pleading with road users to be vigilant.