The toddler was struck on the footpath at Presidents Avenue in Ocean Grove, south-west of Melbourne, just before 5pm yesterday after a driver suddenly accelerated out of a library carpark.
Tonight, locals said it was a “catastrophe”.
“It was like a catastrophe, it was like an earthquake happened by silently,” local resident Tracey Pinnow said.
“All we can think about is the parents, out of no fault of their own enjoying the afternoon, walking home from the shops.”
Andrew Pinnow agreed, “it’s hard to believe that this has happened” in their local area.
“A small seaside place like Ocean Grove where children walk by all the time everyday,” he said.
Families laid floral tributes at the scene and mourned the loss of the child.
“Everywhere we’ve got this morning to get flowers, everyone is in tears, and we just can’t believe anything like this can happen so quickly,” Tracey said.
The alleged driver, a 71-year-old woman from Ocean Grove, has been arrested and was taken to hospital for mandatory blood and alcohol testing.
After extensive questioning, she was released pending further inquiries.
Investigations remain ongoing.
