These are sweet and beautiful faces of innocent children who have died on our roads at the hands of dangerous drivers. Katniss Seleznev was just seven-years-old when she was killed by a teenager on a stolen speeding motorbike as she played just yards from her Bloxwich home.
Azaan Khan, 12, was riding his bicycle across Coventry Road when he was fatally struck by a BMW at a horrific speed. And Leo Painter, aged six, was killed with a taxi driver and another passenger when a drug driver smashed into their vehicle in Worcester.
Other children have tragically lost their lives on our roads as campaigners in Birmingham battle to make out streets safer. In this heart-breaking feature we look at some of the cases where the despicable drivers faced a court and were sentenced for their actions this year.
Read more: Azaan Khan’s family speak out as killer driver’s letter to family revealed
Azaan Khan
Azaan Khan.
Bright Azaan Khan was the ‘light’ and ‘comfort’ in his parents’ world and described as the ‘warmth’ when things felt ‘cold.’ The 12-year-old had a smile and charisma which was said to fill up the room.
Azaan had been to buy sweets with two friends and was cycling across Coventry Road in Yardley, when he was struck by speeding BMW driver Shazad Alam. He died at the roadside, cradled by his parents.
Azaan Khan
(Image: Zoe Homer)
Alam, 34, was estimated to have accelerating between 53.8mph and 62.7mph at the point of impact around 6.15pm on June 8 last year. Alam, of Lowesmoor Road, Sheldon, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced to eight years and nine months,
Azaan’s mother Zoe Homer and dad Jakir Khan told how they still can’t comprehend their 12-year-old boy is dead.
In a statement they said: “It’s been over a year since our boy was taken from us, yet we still can’t accept the reality that he’s gone. Azaan was our light, our comfort when life becomes too heavy, our warmth when the world felt cold.
“He had a great sense of humour and a charm like no other. His smile and charisma would fill any room he was in. He left an imprint on anyone who was luckily enough to meet him.
“We can only hope that Azaan’s name, his story, will do something and will make people realise that we cannot let this be normal. That no parent should endure this kind of heartbreak and pain.”
Leo Painter
Leo Painter, aged 6, from Kidderminster, who was on his way home from school when he died
Leo Painter, aged six, was coming home from school in a taxi with Courtney Hemming, 26, and 39-year-old Claire on Spetchley Road in Worcester on Feb 22, this year, when their lives were tragically cut short. Joe-Lewis Tyler had spent the afternoon drinking before he got behind the wheel, hitting speeds in excess of 90mph.
Tyler ploughed into the taxi, killing all three and devastating a community. The 34-year-old, of no fixed abode, appeared at Worcester Crown court on August 5, where he was sentenced to an 18 year custodial sentence.
Final photo mum Gemma ever had with son Leo Painter before his tragic death in a car crash
(Image: Gemma Painter / SWNS)
Leo’s mum, Gemma said: “I’m glad this is over after a long 5 months he’s got justice, but it will never be enough it will never bring that beautiful little boy of mine back. I hope he can live with the fact he killed 3 innocent people.”
Leo’s dad, Jason, has expressed his anger and disgust at the actions of Tyler on the day of the collision and the massive void left in his life at the loss of his son.
Katniss Seleznev
Her parents said Katniss was ‘the light, the heart and the soul of the house’
(Image: Seleznev family)
It was a warm summer’s evening and Katniss Seleznev wanted to play outside on her pink scooter with her twin brother and older sister. The seven-year-old asked her mother “Mummy can I go out to play ?”
She was struck and killed in Turnstone Road, Blakenall, just after 7pm on July 27 last year by a teenager riding a stolen, speeding Suzuki GSX-S125.
The 14-year-old boy – who cannot be named for legal reasons because of his age – admitted causing death by dangerous driving. On May 22 he was detained for five years and four months.
Sentencing at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Judge Michael Chambers KC described the killing as a ‘grave case’ of the ‘utmost seriousness’.
Katniss was playing outside when she was hit by a motorbike.
(Image: Facebook)
The court heard how Katniss had dreamt of becoming a mum, having a dog and ‘dancing forever’. She would regularly ‘blow kisses’ at her family as ‘in her life there was only love’.
The statement read: “Katniss was our light. She was the heart and soul of our house. She was a dream child – strong, kind, compassionate and loving, with a huge heart ready to help anyone.
“She didn’t ask for much, she was grateful for [having] very little. She was full of love and dreams for her life.”
The parents added: “We have lost a child and in that process, we have lost ourselves. Time is not going to heal this loss – we should not have outlived our child.”