By ANA Reporter 
1h ago
PRETORIA– A 13-year-old boy was killed after a garbage truck collected the bin he was sleeping in, NITV News reported on Tuesday.
The Australian broadcaster said three boys aged 11, 12 and 13 were sleeping in an industrial bin in Port Lincoln, before it was collected around 5am.
In a story on its website, the broadcaster cited police saying the 12-year-old friend banged frantically on the door of a rubbish truck to alert the driver that he and his friends were asleep inside a skip bin.
The 12-year-old managed to escape while the other survived with minor injuries.
The BBC cited local media reporting that police are conduction an investigation into why the three young boys were sleeping in a bin.
The Port Lincoln Times reported that Superintendent Paul Bahr said the circumstances of how they ended up sleeping in an industrial bin will be investigated.
“It’s tragic for all of the Port Lincoln community, this is a very tight-knit, relatively small community and everyone in this community would be impacted either directly or indirectly by this event,’’ Bahr was quoted saying.
Bahr said the driver did not know anyone was in the bin until it was too late and was shaken from the incident.
The publication added that West Coast Youth and Community Support chief executive officer Jo Clark, said all three boys were frequent visitors to their centre and were known to staff.
She told the Australian publication that the boy was not homeless, he had a big loving family who were grieving a heavy loss, and the three boys were described as being full of life, cheeky and lots of fun to be around.
“He was a young person, who like many young people struggled to navigate young adulthood and find their place, and for a variety of reasons was sleeping out.
“All three young boys are frequent visitors at West Coast Youth and Community Support, they spent many times during the day in here and our staff are understandably shaken and upset, and really saddened,’’ she was quoted saying.
ANA