Man, 49, is arrested after William Brown, seven, dies in horror hit-and-run in Kent as he played with his friends in his beloved Cristiano Ronaldo kit – after his parents pleaded with the driver to hand themselves in
A man has been arrested after a seven-year-old boy was killed by a terrified hit-and-run driver as he played with friends wearing his favorite Cristiano Ronaldo kit.
Kent Police confirmed a 49-year-old man from the Dymchurch area was arrested and taken into custody at 5.15pm – almost a full day after the fatal collision at 5.35pm on Wednesday.
William Brown was collecting his ball when he was hit by a car on Sandgate Quay in Folkestone, Kent, last night.
Police say the collision involved two cars, one of which left the scene before emergency services arrived.
By the time ambulance crews and police arrived on the scene, little William had already died.
Speaking from her seaside home in Sandgate today, William’s mother Laura Brown, 41, said she had brought him a toy octopus for Christmas, which she had already wrapped and would now place in his coffin.
Breaking into tears, she begged the driver of the car to come forward so she and William’s father, William Brown Sr, 34, could “rest in peace and bury Will knowing that we got justice for him.”
William Brown was playing with friends wearing his favorite Cristiano Ronaldo kit when he went to get the ball and was hit by a car on Sandgate Esplanade in Folkestone, Kent last night.
William was playing with friends while his mother was preparing dinner for him when he was knocked down
Flowers and messages left at the scene in Sandgate, near Folkestone, where little William was killed.
She said: “William was the sweetest, kindest and funniest boy. He was a wonderful friend to his friends. He loved animals, history, nature and digging. He loved fossils and dinosaurs. Everything is strange and wonderful.
“He loved curiosities and oddities. He loved taxidermy. He had shark teeth and spiders, snake skin. He was a very unusual boy.
“He wanted an octopus for Christmas, so I got him a taxidermy one. He couldn’t see it, it was still wrapped. I’ll put this in his coffin.
“He was always in Will’s world. He was too kind for this world.
“If there was a question to be asked, he had to ask it. He needed to know the answers to all the questions.
“He loved football. He supported Manchester United, just like his father. But his favorite player of all time was Ronaldo. He died in his Ronaldo uniform.”
Recalling the moment her son was hit by an unidentified car, beautician Laura said: “He was playing football in the garden last night.
“He started going upstairs to put on his uniform, but it was short sleeved at the top and bottom. I told him he needed to plant something and he did it.
Mr Brown held his son’s green football jersey as he filmed the appeal in the boy’s bedroom. Behind him were teddy bears and a neon sign with William’s name on it.
The boy was left “to die in the middle of the road” in Folkestone, Kent.
“He was playing with two friends in the front garden. They have played in this garden for many years since he was born. He never climbed over the wall.
“And last night I was cooking dinner downstairs.” I made bolognese sauce with pasta.
“They only came because Will grabbed his friend. His friend came in and said, “Will just grabbed me.” We said: “Everyone, play well, dinner will be ready in a minute.”
“And then I came back to stir the pasta and his friend came in and said, ‘Will got hit by a car.’ He jumped over the wall. It’s so strange because he’s never done this before.
“Maybe he was excited about the game and just got carried away – I don’t know. But he had never done this before, neither of these boys.
“We let them play in the garden because we thought it was safe. The garden must be safe. I literally ran there and Will was lying in the middle of the road.
“Whoever did this hit Will near our house and left him in the middle of the road and then he was hit by another car. The second car, red, stopped.
“Police are desperately looking for the person who did this. I’m just sad that they left it like this.
William’s father urged the hit-and-run driver to contact police so the family “can find out what happened to our son.” A little boy is depicted being addressed by his loved ones
Emergency services at the scene of the attack at Sandgate Quay in Folkestone.
“I think he was still alive – the paramedics had been working on him for ages. We waited 45 minutes before they pronounced him dead. I just hope it was quick.
“They covered us with a sheet and I just lay on the floor with him.”
Speaking directly to the driver of the unidentified car, Laura said: “To the person who did this, please come forward so we can rest easy and bury Will knowing we got justice for him.”
– Someone must know something. I’m begging people to come forward so we can bury Will.
“We are so broken. I’m just praying for a miracle.”
Laura said William’s younger sister Pearl, six, was struggling to come to terms with his death.
She added: “He has a six-year-old sister who just can’t understand it. We were just getting ready for dinner and her father told her, “Will is dead.”
“She said, ‘I don’t understand it, he’s playing football in the garden.’ She is devastated.
“They were like twins. The difference between them was only 13 months. Will adored Pearl from the day she was born.”
William Snr, 34, who is separated from Laura, added: “We just want closure. We’re not on a witch hunt to find this man. We just want to know what happened to our son.
“We want the person who did this to come forward on the basis that if he comes forward now it will be much calmer for all parties rather than if he is forced out.
– Because they are going to expose him. You can’t get away with things like that.
“Please just come forward.”
Paying tribute to William, who was in Year 3 at nearby St Anneswyths Primary School, William Snr, owner of a construction company, said: “Will was a really forgiving boy. He was accepting, loving, patient and kind.
“To be honest, I think if he were here today he would probably say, ‘I was just going to talk to my football dad, I just made a mistake.’
“Will leaves behind a huge network of friends, school friends, a huge family that loves him. Everyone is united because we love him.
“I hope he’s there reading about how much we all love him.”
Fighting back tears, William Sr also made a video message from his little boy’s bedroom, urging the driver to contact police so the family “can get to the bottom of what happened to our son.”
“If you did this, then William Jr. was a beautiful boy and believed in forgiveness and love, and please, we forgive you already,” he said. “If this is you, then you feel guilty, but we really need to know so we can bury our son and find out what happened to him.”
William Sr. held his son’s green football jersey as he filmed the address in the boy’s bedroom. Behind him were teddy bears and a neon sign with William’s name on it.
“People of Folkestone and Hythe, could you please help us?” – he said. “Yesterday, Wednesday, November 6 at 5:35 p.m., we lost our son to a hit-and-run accident while trying to retrieve his soccer ball.
“Can you help us?” If you have any information, any guesses, or anything you saw while driving by, or anything at all.
The grieving father addressed the driver directly. He said: “Please contact Kent Police so we can find out what happened to our son.”
Laura, stepmother Vicky Phillips and Pearl were William’s “best friends”.
Emergency services rushed to Sandgate Esplanade near the Prospect Road junction after William was hit last night, but the boy died at the scene despite efforts to save him.
According to police, the collision involved two vehicles – an unidentified car or van and a red Citroen car. The unidentified vehicle left the scene in the direction of Hythe before emergency services arrived.
The main street was closed to allow police to investigate the accident before reopening at around 7am this morning.
This is sensational news. There will be more to come.