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Video shows 7 year old boy running down a train platform in distress after a train’s carriage doors shut him off from his family.

Andy and Gen Ashton, their two young children and a family friend were on their way home from a bike ride in Melbourne when the terrifying event took place, reports 7 NEWS.

Seven-year-old Zari was the last of his family to board the train and while attempting to wheel his bike on to the carriage, the doors shut on him and he was left alone on the platform.

The terrified young boy can be seen screaming, dropping his bike and running down the platform in an attempt to chase the train down.

Desperately, his distressed family and other passengers frantically try to make the driver stop the train by pressing on the emergency intercom buttons.

When this didn’t work, Andy called Triple-0.

“We’ve just got on a train and left our son at the station at Newport, he missed the doors closing, we’re hoping someone can look after him until we get back there,” Andy told the operator.

The operator responds: “Did he look ok? Was he distressed?”

Andy replies: “Yeah very distressed.”

After an agonising 10 minutes, the Ashton family got off at the next station, Spotswood, and rode back to rescue the little boy.

Upon finding his son, Andy said Zari burst into tears and told 7 News he doesn’t want another family to go though the same traumatic experience.

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“I remember looking out from the train and seeing his face through the window of the train,” he said.

“It was a really scary feeling seeing your son looking terrified and not being able to help them at all.

“It was probably the worst moment of my parenting life and seeing my partner looking very upset.”

Zari’s angry parents say metro has done nothing to stop it happening again.

“It’s not unusual things to have sun glare or be unsighted that’s a common occurrence,” Andy told 7 News.

“I think what’s unusual is the person they left behind was wearing a high-vis vest and bright yellow hair.”

After conducting an investigation, Metro’s only response is to advise large groups travelling with children or bicycles to board as close as possible to the front of the train to ensure the driver can see them.

Every parents worst fear!

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Image via 7 News.

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  • What a horrible experience for them all. My heart goes out to them. You can tell the poor parents suffered during this ordeal, as well as their son.

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  • Well, that’s not a very helpful response is it? Poor child and poor family, would’ve been an awful feeling for everyone.

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  • This is pretty pathetic. More needs to be done!

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  • Very scary for the young boy! Not sure why the parents weren’t at the back of the group helping the kids on. We always do, even now when the kids are pretty much grown up!
    I also suggest a family arrangement for what to do in case the group gets separated. We’ve had times overseas on busy public transport where our group has been split up but because we have a plan in place nobody gets worried and we can reunite without too much stress.

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  • Poor little boy and family very scary using any public transport with children.

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  • How scary!! I can imagine the heartache seeing your child so scared and not able to do anything. Compete nightmare!! Glad the boy is ok

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  • A frighting situtation for the whole family,lucky every-one is fine!

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  • Do the bikes go in a separate carriage or the same on? There often isn’t space in the front carriages. When people pushed the emrgency buttons. The train shpu;ld have immediately slowed down and stopped. It could just as easily been somebody having a heart attack or stroke.

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  • Very scarey, poor child. If it was me tho, I would have helped him onto the train before getting on myself. So much easier if mum got on, turn the child and then dad

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  • This little boy would have been terrified. What’s the point of an emergency stop button the train if it does nothing?


    • Indeed, that’s what worries me too. What if it was a life threatening situation and the driver didn’t stop?

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  • I would have been so scared if that had happened to my child. And he was wearing something so visible indeed. Poor boy!

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  • Oh my goodness. That would be very scarey. I’m glad he is ok

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  • Sure is scary ! Personally I would never step in ( a car, train, boat or airplane) before my child.

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  • Scary for ANY parent! oh my!

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  • Yes, I’m always afraid of this happening – but one of us adults always brings up the rear for this reason.

    Reply

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