02 September 2023 , 21:34
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A dad has issued a heartbreaking plea after his son was left for dead in horrific hit-and-run.
Harvey Aitken, 16, was cycling in the Tyseley area of Birmingham when he was struck by a car at around 11.35pm on July 9. He suffered serious head injuries and was hospitalised for three weeks with a bleed on the brain.
The teen managed to pull through - but has been left with a speech impediment and memory loss, along with injuries that will take at least two years to heal. Harvey's dad Andrew Aitken has now opened up about the ordeal, and has agreed with police to release the shocking image of his son in hospital, which he hopes will find justice for his boy.
Police are hoping members of the public can identify this car from incident in Tyseley, Birmingham on July 9 (West Midlands Police / SWNS)He said: "When I received the phone call at 3am that morning my heart sank, it is every parents’ worst nightmare. They left our 16-year-old son lying in the road for dead. Harvey has suffered a severe brain trauma as a result of this hit-and-run and we have been told it will take up to two years for him to fully recover. The whole family has been impacted by this incident, including Harvey's five siblings who were distressed to hear what had happened to their brother.
"We as his parents feared for his life and it has been such a battle for the family unit as a whole. I am appealing to anyone who saw or heard anything that night to please contact the police because the person responsible needs to be brought to justice. Thankfully Harvey is a strong lad and a survivor but this incident has had a profound impact on his life."
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A second car from the incident which police are hoping to identify (West Midlands Police / SWNS)West Midlands Police is now appealing for motorists and members of the public to help trace the vehicle involved in the crash. Officers believe the driver pulled up at the side of a road shortly afterwards shortly after colliding with Harvey. Officers also want to track down another vehicle that stopped behind the one involved in the hit and run, and appeared to flash the driver before driving off.
A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: "We're appealing for information after a teenager sustained serious head injuries following a hit-and-run collision in Birmingham. We'd urge the driver of vehicle one to do the right thing and come forward to explain exactly what happened. We'd also ask the driver of vehicle two to contact us as they may have vital information which can help us trace the car and who was behind the wheel." Anyone with information on the hit and run can contact the force's Traffic Investigation Unit via Live Chat on the West Midlands Police website, or by calling 101 and quoting log 4494 of July 9.