Unlicensed father-of-three who 'hit and killed' a schoolboy, 12, was living as a vagrant in motels after his housing commission home burnt down - and had little contact with his kids
- Driver charged with killing a young boy had been a vagrant in the months before
- Rabih Abdulrahman allegedly ran a red light and killed a 12-year-old pedestrian
- The youngster was walking to school at Hurstville, in Sydney, when he was killed
- Abdulrahman had been living in a commission home but it was destroyed by fire
- The 36-year-old was unemployed before the horror crash about 8.40am Friday
- Do you know more about the incident? Email: tips@dailymail.com
A disqualified driver charged with hitting and killing a young boy as he walked to school had been living in motels after his taxpayer funded home was destroyed by fire.
Rabih Abdulrahman, 36, had been vagrant in the months before he allegedly drove through a red light and struck a 12-year-old boy at Hurstville, south-west of Sydney, on Friday morning.
Abdulrahman - who was banned from driving in October last year and serving jail time in the community - was charged with seven offences, including manslaughter and dangerous driving occasioning death.
The unemployed father-of-three was forced to move out of his commission unit and into a nearby motel at Cartwright when the block was ravaged by fire in February.
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Rabih Abdulrahman, 36, allegedly ran a red light and killed a 12-year-old boy who was walking to school at Hurstville, in Sydney's south-west, on Friday morning. In the months before he had been vagrant, after fire destroyed his housing commission home at Cartwright
Abdulrahman's unit (pictured) was destroyed by fire in February this year. In recent months he had been living in a motel at Cartwright, before the horror incident on Friday morning
Since then, Abdulrahman had been living in a motel nearby, with his family still at a loss to explain what he was doing in the Hurstville area on Friday morning.
'He used to live in Hurstville but not for a long time, so we don't know where he was going or what he was doing,' his brother said on Saturday.
'We're distraught. We're so sad about what happened. It's a child, no one wants to see kids getting hurt.
'He doesn't see his kids that much, but at the end of the day I'm a father and he's a father.'
Abdulrahman allegedly drove his Toyota Corolla through a red light at speed, striking the youngster who was walking across a marked pedestrian crossing at a green man.
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Witnesses claimed that in the moments after the crash, Abdulrahman stepped out of his car and lit up a cigarette.
He then allegedly attempted to resist arrest when police arrived and later stuck his middle finger up at camera crews.
A painter, Abas Nazari, ran to help in the aftermath of the accident said he sat down next to the injured boy until help arrived.
'I got down on the ground and saw him under the car, and I thought he might be alive... there was a lot of blood,' Mr Nazari said.
'Someone had called an ambulance by then, so I just sat there with him. It was horrible, he never stood a chance.'
Abdulrahman was unlicensed and had been serving a community sentence since last October
The boy, who was a Year 7 student at Sydney Technical High in nearby Bexley, was walking across the road before he was struck by the car on Friday
While bystanders rallied to do everything they could to help the dying boy, Mr Nazari said the 36-year-old male driver of the Toyota Corolla which struck him remained calm.
'He didn't say anything he just stood by his car, and then he started smoking,' he said.
'He was walking around his car acting normal. He didn't try to help the boy, he just looked under the car and that was it.'
Abdulrahman made a brief appearance at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday, where his lawyer Mohamed Said made no application for bail.
Mr Said told media outside court: 'I haven't had an opportunity to speak to him or the family at this stage, so there's not much I can say at this moment.'
Abdulrahman will remain behind bars until he appears at Sutherland Local Court on November 4.
Details of Abdulrahman's past have since emerged revealing he had been serving a one-year intensive corrections order.
He had been convicted last October of assaulting a police officer, carrying knives in public, driving a vehicle under the influence of drugs and resisting arrest.
Attorney-General Mark Speakman has said the case would be put up for review.
The boy became pinned beneath the vehicle for up to an hour before he was freed and rushed to hospital for treatment, but tragically died a short time later
The young boy - who can not be named for legal reasons - was making his way to school when he crossed Lily Road and was allegedly hit by Abdulrahman about 8.40am
'I have asked the Department of Communities and Justice to provide me with a transcript of relevant proceedings involving the alleged offender, which I will review.'
The young victim - who legally can not be named - was walking to school at Sydney Technical High when he was hit.
He became pinned underneath the vehicle for up to an hour before he was freed and rushed to hospital for treatment, but tragically died a short time later.
Local state MP for Kogarah Chris Minns released a statement on behalf of Sydney Technical High School on Friday night.
'Our thoughts are with them at this very sad time. Students and staff have been provided with counselling to support them and also have contact numbers so that they can access help over the weekend or later if needed.'
'Together as a community we will support each other through this tragedy.'
