A six-year-old Ukrainian refugee, Vladyslav, died in a hospital in the Italian city of Padua after being hit by a car along with his mother. The boy sustained severe injuries, and following the diagnosis of brain death, his organs were decided to be donated to patients in need.
This is reported by the publications ANSA and Il Mattino di Padova.
According to Italian media, the child was seated in a seat on his mother’s bicycle when they were struck by a car at a pedestrian crossing. The woman survived, while the boy suffered the most severe injuries—the impact threw him several meters, after which he fell unconscious on the asphalt.
Medics attempted to save Vladyslav, but his life was being sustained only by machines. His older brother is expected to arrive in Padua from Bulgaria to say goodbye before the child is disconnected from life support systems.
The family had arrived in Italy from Odesa less than a month ago, after a Russian shelling destroyed their home. The Ukrainians were residing in a refugee center.
The local prosecutor’s office has opened a case regarding a road killing and is reviewing surveillance camera footage to establish the circumstances of the accident.
