A father begged his seven-year-old daughter to open her eyes as she lay dying in the road after a hit-and-run collision.
A 14-year-old boy remains in police custody following the death of Katnis Selezneva who was playing on her scooter just yards from her front door when she was hit by a bike in Walsall, West Midlands, at 7pm yesterday.
The girl, said to have a twin brother, was airlifted to hospital yesterday evening but later died from her injuries.
Paying tribute, Katnis’s devastated mother Tsvetelina, originally from Bulgaria, wrote online: ‘God took her away too young and fragile. I don’t have strength and I don’t want to say goodbye to you, my star.
‘How to let you go, my heart is bleeding, my soul is aching. Who will take care of you now up there, my angel! I’m powerless, words are not enough, no consolation.’
A blue and black road bike, matching a police description of the vehicle involved in the collision on Thursday evening, was filmed passing a CCTV camera at speed further along the new-build street, just moments before Katnis was hit.
Katnis Selezneva, seven, was killed by hit-and-run motorcyclist close to her home in Walsall
Flowers are left on Turnstone Road in Blakenall, Walsall, near to the scene where a seven-year-old girl died following a hit-and-run
A 14-year-old boy has been arrested after the girl was hit by a motorcycle
Ms Selezneva lives with husband Bojil Seleznev, a lorry driver, in a semi-detached property overlooking the road where their daughter was hit. The couple are also thought to have an older daughter.
A young boy was said to have carried Katnis from the road to the pavement after she was hit by the bike – before neighbours ran to the scene to carry out CPR prior to the arrival of paramedics.
Katnis’s mother Tsvetelina ran from her home after seeing the commotion and watched desperately as passers-by carried out CPR, The Mirror reports.
The little girl’s father was also there, pleading for her to open her eyes.
Tsvetelina wrote: ‘Every day she told me, ‘I love you mum, you are the best mother and the most beautiful because you take care of me and do everything to make me happy’.
‘You became a star in the sky. [You] cried that one day mum would be a star in the heaven and you would be left without me.
‘You were so strong, healthy and smiling, always in the three races. Why couldn’t you fight for your life. Your dad was calling you, ‘open your eyes Katnis, dad is here, open them’ but you closed them forever.
‘Rest in peace sweet treasure! May your path be bright so you are not afraid in the dark without mum and dad!’
Police were called to Turnstone Road, Walsall, shortly after 7pm yesterday to reports that the girl had been hit by a motorcycle
Police are still searching for the motorcycle which was allegedly involved in the incident
Today, West Midlands Police warned efforts to clamp down on the illegal and anti-social use of motorbikes were being hindered by adults sourcing them for young people.
The force said the motorcycle is a road bike and is blue and black, but its exact make and model had not yet been determined.
Anna Bennett, a trainee nurse, was one of those who tried to save Katnis.
She said: ‘I can’t beat myself up (over not being able to save her) but it’s hard.
‘I bring back (to life) elderly people at work but I couldn’t bring this child back. It’s cruel. She had her life ahead of her but it was taken by somebody being reckless, and a child at that.’
Mrs Bennett said she went to help after a neighbour’s son ran to her house just after 7pm last night shouting for help.
‘When I asked him what was wrong he kept saying ‘she’s dead, she’s dead’.
‘I can’t imagine what the family are going through.’
Bouquets of flowers, soft toys and messages were left at the scene throughout this afternoon
The collision happened beside an entrance to parkland, but residents say Turnstone Road has long been blighted by speeding cars and motorbikes
The collision is believed to have been witnessed by a number of children who were playing out on the estate in Blakenhall, Walsall, in the first week of the summer holidays.
The collision happened beside an entrance to parkland, but residents say Turnstone Road has long been blighted by speeding cars and motorbikes.
Other locals spoke of their shock. Adam Pinson wrote: ‘Poor kid 7 years old and she hasn’t even had chance to live her life, thought out to the family…’
Sophie Bentley wrote: ‘Absolutely breaking, rest in eternal peace little girl. Sending strength to the family. I can’t even bare to imagine.’
Bouquets of flowers, soft toys and messages were left at the scene throughout this afternoon.
A traffic calming kerb with bollards was installed half-way along the largely-straight road, but although it forces cars to slow down and re-route through the estate, there is space for e-bikes or motorcycles to pass at each end of the kerb.
Princess Taylor, 44, said: ‘This has been an accident waiting to happen.
‘When we moved here six years ago we quickly realised it was like a racing track.’
Det Sgt Paul Hugh of West Mids Police has pleaded for the local community to ‘come together and work with me’
Another resident, who did not want to be named, said: ‘It’s just absolutely tragic and everyone is heartbroken for this little girl’s family.
‘You get these lads on off-road bikes all the time around here, it was an accident waiting to happen. They are a menace.
‘I didn’t know the girl myself but I’m told she was the sweetest thing. You can’t even think of what her family are going through.
‘Everyone has come together to pay their respects and you have to pull together in times like this. Everyone in the community is reeling from this.
‘The lad arrested is just a kid himself, you just can’t believe it really. It’s just so sad.’
West Midlands Police said two motorbikes have been recovered close to the scene, but neither had yet been identified as the one involved.
Officers were yesterday carrying out CCTV enquiries in the surrounding area. The Daily Mail has alerted the force to its footage.
Chief Superintendent Phil Dolby said: ‘This is a shocking and tragic incident that has had a devastating impact on the family of the young girl, who are being supported by specially-trained Family Liaison Officers.
‘My officers and I are hugely upset by this needless tragedy and we know that it is felt deeply by everyone in the community and we are continuing to support them along with our partner agencies.’
Chf Supt Dolby said officers had been working to ‘tackle the issue of illegal and anti-social bike riding’, but said: ‘We need communities to work with us to tackle this issue.
‘I want to send a clear message to the public that young people in the area are able to ride these bikes because, in many cases, adults are giving them the bikes to ride. ‘They also bear responsibility for the potential consequences and this needs to stop.’
