Full Breakdown
Tragic Parwan Crash Claims Lives of Two Children, Injures Six
9/9/2026, 2:37:54 PM
Core Event
An eight-seater four-wheel-drive carrying a 34-year-old driver and seven children rolled onto a grass strip near the intersection of Nerowie and Parwan-Exford Road, west of Melbourne, just before 4 p.m. on Tuesday. The vehicle “inexplicably rolled,” resulting in the deaths of 11-year-old Ossama El Hawli and his 7-year-old cousin Sarah El Hawli. Five other children— a toddler, three primary-aged children and a teenager—were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver was hospitalized for observation and later discharged.
Background & Context
The children were returning from Al Iman College in Melton South after school pick-up. Local residents describe the route as one of the safer roads in the area, though the broader region is noted for potholes and occasional speeding. The crash occurred on a quiet country road near Bacchus Marsh, a site previously associated with a bus accident in May 2023.
Data & Statistics
- Fatalities: 2 (Sarah El Hawli, 7; Ossama El Hawli, 11)
- Injured children: 5 (toddler, primary-aged children, teenage boy) – all reported stable by the Royal Children’s Hospital.
- Driver: 34-year-old female, observed at Royal Melbourne Hospital.
- Emergency response: two Air Ambulance Victoria helicopter crews, two Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) crews, seven Advanced Life Support (ALS) paramedic crews, and additional police and fire units.
Official Statements & Responses
City of Melton mayor Lara Carli offered condolences on behalf of the council and pledged community support in the coming weeks. The Royal Children’s Hospital confirmed that all five injured children were in stable condition. The driver was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital for observation. Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives have opened an investigation, urging anyone with CCTV, dash-cam footage, or other information to contact Crime Stoppers.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Police have stated that speed and alcohol are not believed to have triggered the crash, yet the exact cause remains undetermined. Detectives continue to investigate how the vehicle left the road and rolled onto the embankment. No definitive explanation has been provided, and authorities have asked the public for any additional evidence.
Verbatim Quotes
- “From my understanding, the scene was quite hectic with family coming as well and there were people everywhere,” — Detective Sergeant Tony Gentile
- “The vehicle inexplicably rolled, we don’t know why,” — Victoria Police’s Tony Gentile
