Family members of a one-year-old girl who was struck and killed by a vehicle in an alleyway behind her home Monday evening say they are devastated and in complete shock. Anahat Gill is described by loved ones as being “a pretty, talkative, responsible and curious little girl who always enjoyed playing with her neighbours.” Her family declined to appear on camera but confirmed to CTV News that she was hit by the driver of a white pickup truck that was travelling west through the alley, then made an immediate right-hand turn into the blind corner of the alleyway. The incident occurred around 6:55 p.m. in the alley in the 600 block of Taradale Drive N.E. Gill’s family says she was running after a toy that she had dropped when she was hit by the front bumper of the truck. The girl was rushed to hospital, with police shutting down several intersections to help the ambulance reach the Alberta Children’s Hospital, but she ultimately died of her injuries. The driver of the vehicle, a man in his 30s, was uninjured and remained at the scene. He is co-operating with police. Alcohol has been ruled out as a factor in the crash, but the investigation is ongoing. “We are just in absolute shock; this is really devastating for us,” said Ramandeep Jassan, who lives nearby. “I have a little child, too, and that little girl across the street who died used to play with my daughter every single evening, so it makes me sad to think this could happen to anyone.” Others who have homes that back onto the alleyway, like Vincent Amanyi, say many drivers often travel down the narrow space far too fast. “It’s a more or less hidden corner, so if you are driving down there, then speed can be an issue for sure,” Amanyi said. “I’m just kind of a bit surprised, and my heart goes out to this family because I’m a parent, too—a father of two boys myself—so my prayers are with them.” Calgary police have not laid any charges related to this incident but have put out a reminder for drivers to be more aware of their surroundings in residential neighbourhoods. “The posted limit for back lanes is 15 kilometres an hour, and I think what we have to understand is that what wasn’t there yesterday could well be there today,” said Staff Sgt. Andy Woodward with the CPS Traffic Unit. “So really, what you should be doing is making all of these observations and making sure that you are aware of exactly where you’re driving.”
