Young mother-of-two ‘who has been through hell and back’ is struck by a car and left for dead

Young mother-of-two ‘who has been through hell and back’ is struck by a car and left for dead in brutal Christmas Day hit-and-run

  • A woman is fighting for life in hospital after a suspected hit and run in Adelaide
  • Emergency services found the woman lying in the middle of the road on Tuesday
  • Cassandra Wanganeen-Karpeny, 22, was found on Craigmore Road at 3.15am
  • Officers believe the woman was struck by a vehicle and possibly left for dead
  • Police have considered the possibility the driver isn’t aware they hit the woman
  • It is unclear how long the woman was lying in the road until she was discovered 

A young mother-of-two who ‘has been through hell and back’ is fighting for her life in hospital after a suspected hit and run in the early hours of Christmas morning. 

Emergency services were called to Craigmore Road, in Adelaide’s north, about 3.15am after they received reports of a woman hit by a motorist. 

Police who attended the scene found Cassandra Wanganeen-Karpeny, 22, lying in a bloodied mess in the middle of the road, 7News reported.  

Police who attended the scene found Cassandra Wanganeen-Karpeny, 22 (pictured), lying in a bloodied mess in the middle of the road in what appeared to be a hit and run

Ms Wanganeen-Karpeny (pictured) has undergone surgery and remains in a critical condition

Ms Wanganeen-Karpeny (pictured) has undergone surgery and remains in a critical condition

The woman was taken to Royal Adelaide Hospital in a serious condition and police said her ‘life threatening’ injuries were likely to be due to a collision with a car.

Ms Wanganeen-Karpeny has undergone surgery and remains in a critical condition.

Police said as part of the process the woman will undergo toxicology blood tests to determine whether she was affected by substances at the time of the incident.  

A passerby first found the woman lying in the middle of the road and then contacted police who attended the scene with emergency services. 

South Australia Police Inspector Amit Sareen said no witnesses have come forward at this stage and the type of the vehicle is unknown. 

Inspector Sareen said it’s too early to rule out whether the woman was already lying in the middle of the road and the driver didn’t realise they collided with her.

‘That is a possibly, that she may have been lying on the road but … it’s too early in the investigation (to confirm it),’ he said. 

Inspector Sareen said major crash investigations were in attendance, but because there was no debris at the scene, there may be no damage to the car. 

Emergency services were called to Craigmore Road, near Park Lake Boulevard, about 3.15am after they received reports of a woman being hit by a motorist

Emergency services were called to Craigmore Road, near Park Lake Boulevard, about 3.15am after they received reports of a woman being hit by a motorist

Major crash investigations were in attendance, but police said because there was no debris at the scene, there may be no damage to the car

Major crash investigations were in attendance, but police said because there was no debris at the scene, there may be no damage to the car

He said the woman had no personal items on her at the time of the incident, which meant her initial identification was delayed.  

Following the tragedy, the young woman’s cousin took to social media, saying she couldn’t think of anything worse to happen at this time of year.

‘You have been through hell and back these past couple of weeks couldn’t think of anything worse to happen to you especially on Christmas,’ the message stated.  

Local resident Rita Bochmetz, 77, told The Advertiser she was shocked by the tragic accident on the road, which has become a speeding hotspot.

‘They drive quite fast up here,’ Ms Bochmetz said.  

With the festive season far from over, Inspector Sareen has urged road users to be extra vigilant. 

‘We feel for the family – it is a tragic incident. This serves as a timely reminder not only for drivers but pedestrians and cyclists to be extra careful on the roads. 

‘With summer holidays … there will be a lot more people out on the road,’ he said.  

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk