Beau Croucher, 14, died in hospital on Wednesday, two days after being struck by a bus in Portsmouth. His family have paid tribute to him as 'our beautiful, innocent baby boy'.
Accident and investigation
The collision happened close to the transport hub on The Hard at around 4.25pm on Monday. The driver of the bus, a 39-year-old man from Portsmouth, was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and has been released on bail until November 17.
A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said Beau's family, who are from Portsmouth, are being supported by specialist officers.
Family tribute
In a tribute released through police, the family said: 'On Monday, Beau went out for the afternoon. He never came home.'
'Right now, all of our love, our focus and our entire world is Beau. These are the stories you hear about and think, "That could never happen to us." You never, in a million years, imagine that something so unimaginable could happen to your perfect little family.'
They added that 'there are no words that can come close to describing' the 'magnitude' of their pain. 'It is beyond anything we ever knew was possible to feel. Our hearts are broken in a way we didn't know a heart could break.'
Remembering Beau as 'our absolute world, our heartbeat, our obsession', they said 'to know Beau was to love him'. 'When you got to spend time with Beau, it was a privilege. He had a unique way of making people laugh. His humour was effortless, his observations were always on point, and he brought joy and laughter to everyone who knew him.'
'His intelligence has always astounded us. From an early age we realised how exceptional his mind was. He was in top sets at school, loved spending time with his friends, and he was happiest when he was around those he cared about.'
Hobbies and final moments
The family said Beau was 'Pompey's number one fan', and his favourite thing to do was go to games with his dad and grandad. He also loved going on holiday, having been with his loved ones last week in London for his birthday and then Cornwall.
'He always showed gratitude for the life he lived,' they noted, referring to him as 'sunshine' who 'always stood out in a crowd'. 'It's like we were blessed with an angel.'
Concluding the tribute, they said it is 'difficult to truly explain how much he meant to everyone and what an incredible boy he was', plus the 'emptiness' now left behind. 'Our friends and family have been our pillars these past few days, literally picking us up off the floor and carrying us through moments we never believed we would have to face. We have been completely overwhelmed and comforted by the outpouring of love, messages and support. We thank you as a family.'
Community response and next steps
Flowers have been left at the scene, with a note attached to one bouquet, seemingly from a school friend, reading: 'To Beau, RIP Fly High. I will never forget our memories. We had such a good time in science. Can't believe what happened. We will all miss u lots. Forever 14.'
A Stagecoach spokesperson said: 'We can confirm that one of our bus drivers was involved in a collision with a pedestrian in Portsmouth yesterday, which resulted in the pedestrian sustaining injuries. We are cooperating fully with Hampshire Constabulary and the local authorities, who are leading the investigation. As the matter is ongoing, it would not be appropriate for us to comment further at this stage.'
