– The accident has affected the start of school in the municipality. Chrisander was supposed to start 2nd grade at Finnsnes school today, but his desk was empty. A picture of him has been put up and a candle lit at his place.
This is what the mayor of Senja, Tom-Rune Elisussen (Sp), tells Dagbladet on Monday.
– We have made arrangements for the start of school with a lot of focus on care this week and in the future. A public health nurse is available to the children, so that they can get answers to the questions they have and have someone to talk to, he says.
The mayor says that the accident on Friday has affected the local community and hit the municipality hard.
– This tragic event will mark the municipality in the future. Our thoughts go out to the immediate family and everyone affected, says the mayor.
IN MOURNING: Mayor of Senja municipality, Tom-Rune Elisussen (SP), tells Dagbladet that the local community is in mourning. Photo: Senja municipality/Lena Sørensen Show more
Strongly affected
The family’s legal aid lawyer, Cato Simonsen, says that the family is deeply affected by the accident.
– It is a very demanding situation for both parents and siblings. It probably hasn’t fully dawned on them what has actually happened. At the same time, they are overwhelmed and moved by the care and compassion that friends, acquaintances, strangers and the entire local community have had for them, says Simonsen to Dagbladet, and continues:
– Among other things, there was a big football tournament in Senja where there was a minute’s silence and mourning band. Crisis teams have also been established, meetings at the school and preparation of the children.
– They have experienced messages of support, warmth, kindness and generosity from the local community, and many have been and laid flowers and lit candles at the scene of the accident. There are things they take with them as positive contributions to the grief.
Under investigation
On Friday afternoon at 16.37 the police received a report about the incident. They reported that a child on a bicycle had been hit by a car and that he received medical treatment from health personnel.
DIED: Chrisander Johansen (6). Photo: Private – with permission from relatives Show more
At 17.17 the police confirmed that the boy’s life could not be saved. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
– The incident is still under investigation and more interviews and investigations remain. The police are therefore not going to comment on the course of events and what has come to light in the case for the time being, stated operations manager Per Arve Aas in a press release on Friday.
Chrisander (6) died after a collision in Senja
The driver was a man in his 40s, and the police had no suspicion of drunken driving on Friday.
Police prosecutor Malene Kjemsaas told Dagbladet on Monday that the police are still working on interviewing witnesses and investigating the case.
– Everything indicates that it was a tragic accident, she says.
The man’s defender, Mads Wallerheim, tells Dagbladet on Monday that his client is naturally still very affected by the incident.
– This is a tragic accident, and he also thinks a lot about the boy’s family. The police are now investigating the matter, and they are in a very early phase. Ergo, first of all, the police must get a comprehensive picture of the case, he writes in an SMS to Dagbladet.
– Caring for each other
Over the weekend, the municipality set up a crisis team with a doctor and a psychologist.
– It is a large apparatus that works to look after all those involved, says Elisussen.
There have also been several meetings at the school over the weekend, says the mayor.
– The crisis team is close to the case and looks after those affected. We had a joint meeting at the school with the teachers on Saturday, and on Sunday we had a meeting with all the parents where both the police and the mayor were present, he says and adds:
– What is important going forward is to show extra care for each other in the municipality and for everyone who is affected.
In consultation with the municipality, the local congregation Lenvik chose to have open doors on Saturday and Sunday evenings.
– What is important to us is to create a space for community and to be together in grief, says vicar Ruth Astrid Stellmacher to Dagbladet.
2023-08-21 16:39:13
#desk #Chrisander #empty
