A 16-year-old girl of Sri Lankan origin has died after being struck by a car while on her way to school in north London.
The teenager, identified by British police as Melissa Premaratne, was a Year 12 student at Highgate School.
According to the Metropolitan Police, officers were called to North Road in Highgate at around 8:13 a.m. on Thursday, September 24, following a collision involving a pedestrian and a car. Emergency services attended the scene, but Melissa was pronounced dead at the scene.
Highgate School confirmed that Melissa had been travelling to school when the collision occurred.
A 68-year-old man, who was driving the vehicle, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by careless driving. He was later released on bail as police investigations continue.
The vehicle was reportedly operated by private-hire company Addison Lee, which said it was cooperating with the police investigation.
In a tribute, Melissa's family described her as a “light in our lives”, remembering her for her kindness, warmth and spirit.
Police have appealed for witnesses and are asking anyone with dashcam footage, CCTV recordings or mobile-phone footage from the area at the time of the collision to come forward.
The investigation remains ongoing.
