Tributes have been paid to a 10-year-old boy killed during a family holiday in Tenerife by a hit-and-run driver.
Carter Carson, from Newtownabbey, near Belfast, Northern Ireland, died in hospital on Friday nearly 24 hours after he was struck by a car outside a shopping centre in Adeje in the south of the island.
Family friend Charlene Dinnen has already raised more than £4,000 towards funeral costs by Sunday morning, after launching an appeal on crowdfunding site Just Giving.
This is the 10-year-old boy said to have been killed by a hit-and-run driver while on holiday in Tenerife. Carter Carson, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, died in hospital on Friday
Police in Tenerife have released this photo of the suspected vehicle which is believed to be an Alfa Romeo
The vehicle has a broken front headlamp and is believed to have been found a few miles from the Gran Sur shopping centre in Adeje where the youngster was hit as he was with his family
She said: ‘It breaks my heart to say this but I am trying to raise money to help friends Stuart Carson and partner Clair as on Thursday what started out as a family holiday in Tenerife soon turned into a terrible tragedy when young Carter Carson was struck by a hit-and-run driver.
‘Carter was taken to hospital where doctors tried their best but unfortunately they couldn’t save him and Carter passed away on Friday.
‘Carter was a happy-go-lucky wee boy who just loved his footy like his daddy and his grandad.
‘I can’t even put into words how heartbreaking this is. Sleep tight wee man xxx’
Lisa Greer Stitt added on Facebook: ‘Heartbreaking to hear the news about young Carter. Happy young lad with his life in front of him.
Will always remember that bright beautiful smile. Fly high son, night night xxx.’
Carter’s football club 18th Newtownabbey Youth FC said in a statement first posted on Saturday morning: ‘It is with deepest condolences and heavy hearts we as a club are saddened to hear to of the tragic passing of young Carter Carson this morning.
‘Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and his friends at the club.’ Grieving Heather Doherty, whose son Josh played with Carter, added: ‘Met up and got involved with a football team a year ago, 18th Newtownabbey Youth 08’s.
CCTV of the suspected hit-and-run vehicle. Tributes to Carter have flooded in from devastated family and friends
The boy was coming out of the Gran Sur shopping centre with his family when he was hit on Thursday evening. He died at Hospital La Candelaria the following day (pictured)
‘Josh was put in defence alongside a lovely smiling boy called Carter Carson.
‘Tragically, Carter has passed away. Only knew him for a year but we will remember him forever.
‘Stuart Carson and family, you are all in our thoughts at this time. A beautiful boy who everyone liked and will miss.’
Carter was from Newtownabbey near Belfast but is believed to have been travelling on an Irish passport.
Police investigating the hit-and-run spent yesterday quizzing several people including a suspect after seizing a red Alfa Romeo believed to be the car that hit Carter.
The vehicle, which had a damaged front headlamp, was spotted on Friday afternoon by an off-duty police officer near the scene of the hit-and-run.
Official police sources denied overnight any formal arrests had taken place, despite several local and well-respected national Spanish newspapers saying a man had been arrested.
In their only official statement so far on the incident, National Police in Tenerife have said in a tweet posted yesterday afternoon/on Saturday afternoon: ‘National Police are investigating the death of a ten-year-old boy in Adeje, Tenerife.
‘After running him over on Thursday, the driver of a red car fled the scene without assisting him.
‘Please contact us if you have any information.’ An investigating judge tasked with the criminal probe into the incident has placed a secrecy order on the case.
The move, standard procedure in Spain in the early stages of an investigation, prevents officials from making detailed comment about cases so as not to hinder the judicial investigation.