Fundraiser for much-loved five-year-old Northampton boy hospitalised with broken skull after ‘devastating’ collision involving e-scooter rider
A fundraiser has been launched for a much-loved, five-year-old boy from Northampton, who has been hospitalised, following a "devastating" collision involving an e-scooter rider.
Henry Jackson was playing with his sister and a friend on the path outside his home in Greenfield Avenue, supervised by an adult family member, when at around 6.15pm on Tuesday May 5 a collision involving an e-scooter rider happened.
The five-year-old hit his head off the curb and fractured his skull. He was taken to a specialist neurology department in Birmingham, where he underwent surgery to remove gravel from his skull.
Henry spent nearly a week in hospital, where “everyone loved him”, but he is now thankfully home.
Joshua Argent, Henry’s brother, said: “Thankfully I picked him up myself yesterday (Monday May 11). He is in high spirits and he thinks it’s pretty cool he has been on the news.
“He will make a full recovery and we have been told he shouldn’t have any long lasting effects, but he has a big scar across his head right now.
“He got off quite lightly. A head blow to a five-year-old could have been catastrophic.”
Joshua added that both Henry, his sister and her friend have all been left “traumatised” by the incident and left scared of e-scooters, with Henry not wanting to go anywhere near one.
“We shouldn’t even have these e-scooters on the roads,” Joshua added.
“As much as we want to praise Northamptonshire Police for what they have done, I wish we could do more.”
For nearly a week, Henry’s family had to travel back and forth to Birmingham to see him and his parents have had to take time off work, which has put strain on the family, so Henry’s brothers have set up an online fundraiser.
The fundraising page adds: “What should have been a normal, happy day turned into every family’s worst nightmare, and our world has been turned upside down ever since.
“Thankfully, he is fighting hard and is such a brave little boy, but the road ahead will be long and difficult.
“My brother is kind, full of energy, and loves playing and laughing just like any other child his age. We just want to give him every chance to make a full recovery, so he can run, play, and be his happy self again.”
Henry had also only had his bike for two weeks before the collision, but it is now destroyed, so the family would like to replace it.
Joshua added: “It is going to a good cause. It will be used for Henry to make sure he can get back out there.”
Following the collision, Northamptonshire Police has arrested a 33-year-old man on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was arrested on Sunday May 10 and has since been released on police bail, pending further enquiries.
Officers from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit are also still appealing for anyone who may have seen the incident or who may have dash-cam footage to come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to email [email protected] or call the Drivewatch Hotline on 0800 174615, or Northamptonshire Police on 101, quoting incident number: 26000259232.