An 18-year-old woman tragically passed away after being struck by a stolen lorry in a park, according to the police, who stated it was taken without permission by a group of individuals.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, June 13, at Chalkwell Park in Southend, where the woman sustained severe injuries and was quickly transported to the hospital.

Essex Police reported that two teenagers, aged 17 and 18, were detained on suspicion of causing serious harm through reckless driving and have been released on bail.

Authorities are requesting any witnesses to step forward to aid in the investigation, highlighting a significant number of young people in the vicinity at the time of the occurrence.

A statement from Essex Police conveyed, “A teenager critically injured in a vehicle-related incident in Southend has tragically passed away. We were alerted to the situation at Chalkwell Park around 12:30 am on Saturday, June 13, where a group took unauthorized control of a small articulated loading vehicle.”

The statement continued, “An 18-year-old woman sustained significant injuries at Chalkwell Park and, despite efforts, she has sadly succumbed to her injuries. Our investigation is ongoing, and we extend our support to her family.”

The police mentioned, “An 18-year-old man from Westcliff and a 17-year-old boy, arrested on suspicion of causing serious harm through reckless driving, are currently on bail until September.”

Encouraging witnesses to come forward, the police stated, “We urge anyone with information, especially those we have not yet spoken to, to provide details of the incident.”

Authorities added, “For information, you can reach us by submitting a report on our website, using our 24/7 Live Chat service at www.essex.police.uk, or by calling 101, quoting incident 39 of June 13.”

Many individuals have expressed their sorrow on social media over the woman’s passing. One Facebook user stated, “So heartbreaking for everyone involved. My condolences to the girl’s family & friends,” while another wrote, “So saddened, my thoughts are with her family xxx.” Another commenter added, “God bless her, thoughts with her family and friends.”