A family of six who recently left a refugee camp before moving to Surrey, B.C., is grieving the loss of Shomima Khan, who tragically died after being struck by a cube van while exiting school on December 5.
Shomima Khan, aged 9, was crossing the road with her father, Ayub Khan, at around 2:35 p.m. PT in the 13400-block of 81 Avenue near Newton Elementary School when the accident occurred, as reported by her family.
Despite the driver staying at the scene and cooperating with authorities, Khan’s passing has deeply affected the family, who had just arrived in Canada on November 6. The Khans had spent years in a refugee camp in Bangladesh after escaping Myanmar following a period of genocide against Rohingya Muslims. They were sponsored by Ayub’s brother, Nasir Khan bin Noor Ali.
According to Ali, Shomima was born in Myanmar in 2016 during the violent persecution of Rohingya Muslims, leading to their sponsorship to Canada for a better life. The family cannot return to their home country due to the circumstances.
Shomima is survived by her father, mother, and two siblings. Ajis Khan bin Nasir Khan, Shomima’s cousin, shared that she was a reserved girl who always obeyed. On the day of the incident, she was excited to wear a new dress.
Ali is advocating for justice and hopes to prevent similar tragedies in the future, especially within school zones. The police investigation is ongoing, and impairment is not believed to have been a contributing factor in the accident.
Ajis has organized a fundraiser to assist with funeral expenses and mentioned that in Islam, those who pass away young are promised a place in heaven. He expressed hope that such a heartbreaking event never recurs for any other children.
The community continues to mourn the loss of Shomima and supports the family during this difficult time.