Passenger arrested after girl, four, killed in Merseyside hit-and-run

A man has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run that killed a four-year-old girl, police said.

The 23-year-old from Prescot in Merseyside was arrested on suspicion of being a passenger in a stolen vehicle, police said on Monday. He has been released pending further inquiries.

Detectives are hunting for the driver of the black Ford Fiesta that hit Violet-Grace Youens in St Helens on Friday.

Violet-Grace died in hospital on Saturday after being struck when the car mounted the pavement on Prescot Road.

Her grandmother, Angela French, 55, who was also hit, is in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

Police issued CCTV images of two men, aged about 15 to 20, who they want to speak to after they were seen running away from the area.

Violet-Grace’s mother, Rebecca, agreed to donate her daughter’s pancreas and kidneys after her death, police said.

She posted a tribute to her daughter on Facebook, saying: “My brave baby girl saved two lives by donating her kidneys and pancreas. I am truly heartbroken but proud of my little fighter!”

In a statement the family said they were “devastated by the loss of their beautiful daughter but wanted the organ donations to benefit other children and give them a chance to lead long and happy lives”.

Tributes have been left at the spot where Violet-Grace was hit. An online page raising money for her family has so far reached £9,600.