Driver Pleads Guilty After Tragic Death of 11-Year-Old at School

A tragic incident occurred on October 29, 2024, when an 11-year-old boy, Jack Davey, was killed after a driver lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a picnic table at Auburn South Primary School in Melbourne. The accident happened as Jack and his classmates sat together during a break, resulting in his death and injuries to three others.

In the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, Jack’s father, Michael Davey, expressed profound grief and anger during the proceedings. He demanded clarity on how such a devastating accident could occur. “An 11-year-old boy, dead in an instant… Jack never saw the car, it’s impossible,” he stated. Michael questioned the circumstances surrounding the crash, highlighting the absence of satisfactory answers. “It is impossible, unbelievable and something I think about every second of the day. The lack of answers to those questions enrages me,” he added.

The driver, Shaymaa Oun Ghazi Zuhaira, who is 41 years old, interrupted the court proceedings with audible sobs, repeatedly expressing her sorrow. She pleaded guilty to a charge of careless driving, while the prosecution withdrew a second charge related to failing to have control of the vehicle. Prosecutor Anthony Albore acknowledged the gravity of the incident and argued for a proper conviction.

Jack’s mother, Jayde Davey, described the single charge against Zuhaira as an “insult.” She stated, “The charges go nowhere near the outcome. It is an insult to us, and to Jack, if there is no charge for killing him, where is his justice?”

The court heard how Zuhaira, who was driving with a P2 probationary license, had accelerated at over 70 percent as she left a parking spot shortly before 14:35. Her vehicle crashed through the school fence and struck the picnic table. Witnesses recounted harrowing moments as they were flung beneath the vehicle, with one child recalling, “Everything went dark, then under a car.”

Prior to the accident, Zuhaira had been in a meeting with the school principal regarding her son. She later informed police that the accelerator and wheel were “stuck,” claiming, “I can’t control the car.” Her solicitor, Matthew Senia, suggested that the meeting triggered past trauma from her life in Iraq, which impacted her ability to drive. He stated that her symptoms of trauma were exacerbated, leading to a misapprehension of the vehicle’s controls.

Despite this defense, Albore dismissed the argument, stating that witnesses had described Zuhaira as being cheerful and smiling when she left the school. He emphasized the need for a conviction, suggesting that Zuhaira should receive a community corrections order due to the severity of the offence.

Zuhaira is expected to avoid prison time but may face a driving ban. Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday.