A Phoenix family is appealing to the community to stop the spread of false information following the tragic death of seven-year-old Trent Tayden Pillay on Thursday, 30 July.
Speaking to the Phoenix Tabloid, Trent’s mother, Saleena Naidoo, said the family has been left devastated not only by the loss of the young boy but also by rumours circulating on social media claiming that he had been knocked over by his grandfather. She stressed that these claims are untrue and said the family felt it was important to clarify what had happened.
According to Saleena, Trent had become excited after hearing that his grandfather had arrived home. “My dad was reversing into our yard when Trent opened the pedestrian gate and ran towards the van. He jumped on top of the van, expecting to grab onto the bull bar, but he missed it. He slipped off the van and hit his head on the ground,” she said.
Saleena said the family hopes that by sharing the facts surrounding the incident, the rumours will come to an end, allowing them to mourn their beloved son in peace. “We are already living through the most difficult time of our lives. We kindly ask the community to respect our family’s privacy and refrain from spreading unverified information,” she said.
The family described Trent as a happy, energetic little boy who brought joy to everyone around him.
