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In tragic crash that killed young girl, Vancouver police seeking witness video

Click to play video: 'VPD asking for driver of white Tesla to come forward'
VPD asking for driver of white Tesla to come forward
Vancouver police have launched a public appeal asking the driver of a white Tesla connected to Tuesday's fatal crash to come forward – Jul 9, 2021

Vancouver police are hoping to speak to the driver of a white Tesla in connection with the fatal collision that claimed the life of a 23-month-old girl on Tuesday.

Police believe there is video on the vehicle’s camera that may have captured evidence of what happened.

Police said a black Ford Escape collided with a black McLaren in the intersection of Smithe and Hornby streets just after 6 p.m. on July 6.

One of the vehicles mounted the sidewalk and struck a 31-year-old man who was carrying his young daughter.

Click to play video: 'Driver in custody after pedestrian tragedy on downtown Vancouver corner'
Driver in custody after pedestrian tragedy on downtown Vancouver corner

The child, named Ocean, died immediately at the scene, police said. Her father Michael was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

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A GoFundMe has been set up for the family. It says Michael has undergone a few successful surgeries but will remain in the hospital for some time.

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Sue Caithness, a neighbour of the victim family, said the child’s mother witnessed the crash.

The woman had just started a construction job and the infant and her father were on their way to meet her when it happened, she said.

“She was walking home from work and they had come down to meet her. She saw her little girl, Ocean and her partner across the road, and she waved, and then she saw the accident,” Caithness said.

“She felt responsible, because if she hadn’t had this new job they wouldn’t have been coming down to meet her.”

Click to play video: 'Baby girl killed in downtown Vancouver crash'
Baby girl killed in downtown Vancouver crash

Investigators believe the white Tesla was driving west on Smithe Street and then made a right turn onto Hornby Street. The vehicle pulled over on Hornby Street until about 6:08 p.m. before it left the area, police said.

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They are asking the driver of this vehicle to call VPD’s Collision Investigation Unit at 604-717-3012.

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