Toddler ‘Pinned’ After Woman Drives Through Nursery Fence into Playground

A 2-year-old boy was pinned between an SUV and a brick wall after a grandmother drove through a fence and into a nursery playground packed with young children in a frightening crash in England.

Jayne James, 63, was dropping off her granddaughter at a nursery in Ellesmere Port on June 16 when her gray Omoda people carrier suddenly moved forward at speed, according to Cheshire Constabulary.

The vehicle smashed through a wooden fence separating the parking lot from the playground, where 22 children between the ages of 2 and 3 were playing.

The SUV then continued across the playground before crashing into a brick wall.

A 2-year-old boy became trapped between the vehicle’s front wheel and the wall.

A nursery staff member immediately rushed to the child and managed to pull him from underneath the vehicle before calling emergency services.

Two other children were injured by debris sent flying as the SUV tore through the fence.

All three children were taken to a hospital for treatment. Police said their injuries were ultimately considered minor and all three have since been discharged.

The toddler who was pinned suffered what investigators described as a “considerable” friction burn to his torso.

Police believe the injury was caused by the vehicle’s wheel continuing to move while the boy was trapped.

Despite the terrifying circumstances, authorities said the children have made a full physical recovery.

James was arrested at the scene and taken into custody.

During an interview with investigators, she acknowledged that she had been driving the vehicle but said she could not remember specific details about how the crash happened.

James told officers she had been driving the automatic Omoda for several months and mentioned a feature that she said could cause the vehicle to begin accelerating if a certain pedal was pressed while it was stationary.

However, investigators later examined the SUV and found no mechanical defect that could have caused or contributed to the collision, according to Cheshire Constabulary.

The case ultimately led to a dangerous-driving charge.

James pleaded guilty at Chester Magistrates’ Court on August 26.

She returned to court on September 24 and was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for 12 months. That means she will not immediately serve the four-month sentence unless she violates the conditions of the suspension during that period.

She was also banned from driving for two years.

Detective Sergeant Amy Hollis of Cheshire Constabulary’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit said the crash placed more than 20 young children in serious danger.

“The lives of over 20 young children were put at serious risk as a result of James’ inability to control her vehicle,” Hollis said in a statement.

Three children were physically injured, she noted, while the rest of the youngsters witnessed the frightening collision unfold around them.

Police also praised nursery workers and emergency responders for quickly moving the children to safety and assisting those who were hurt.

“The outcome could have been very different,” Hollis said.

Although the children have recovered physically, police said the effects of the crash did not necessarily end when they left the hospital.

The children and their families have continued receiving support because of the emotional and psychological impact of the incident.

The collision happened in Ellesmere Port, a town in Cheshire in northwest England, near Liverpool.

The case serves as a startling example of how quickly a routine school drop-off can turn dangerous. With 22 toddlers in the playground when the SUV broke through the barrier, investigators emphasized that the crash could easily have resulted in far more serious injuries.

Instead, all three injured children survived and were eventually able to return home.