TORONTO -- The parents of two young children who were struck and killed while they were playing in their Vaughan, Ont. driveway have released a statement saying they have been left "extremely traumatized by the tragic loss."
The incident occurred on a quiet, residential street, located near Dufferin Street north of Teston Road, at around noon on Sunday.
Police said the two siblings, aged four and 10, were playing in the driveway of their home along with a neighbour, who was fixing a bike, when the three were struck by a black Mercedes sedan.
The two children, who have been identified by neighbours and family as Jax and Anaya, were taken to hospital but died of their injuries.
"We are extremely traumatized by the tragic loss of our daughter and son," the parents, who have not been identified, said in a statement through York Regional Police.
"The past days have been extremely difficult for our family. We appreciate the prayers and thoughts of all those grieving with us."
The neighbour was also taken to hospital but police said he sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the Mercedes, a 16-year-old Richmond Hill resident, was arrested following the collision, police said.
He was initially charged with dangerous driving causing bodily harm but the charges were subsequently upgraded to dangerous driving causing death after the children succumbed to their injuries.
The teen, who cannot be identified under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, also faces one count of dangerous operation causing bodily harm and criminal negligence causing bodily harm.
He is expected to make his first appearance in court on Wednesday.
CTV News Toronto obtained surveillance video from a neighbour that shows the car just seconds before the crash.
On Tuesday, a growing memorial of flowers and more than a dozen stuffed animals could be seen piled in front of the home.
One neighbour told CTV News Toronto on Monday that the family moved to the neighbourhood during the pandemic. She described the four-year-old boy as a "delightful child."
"He would talk to us through the fence,” she said. “We have a five-year-old grandson and we talked about when the pandemic was over, they were going to get to play together.”
Investigators are asking anyone with information or video footage of the deadly crash to contact police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
