A three-year-old girl has died after being struck by a vehicle in a communal driveway in Auburn, in Sydney’s west, with a 27-year-old man subsequently charged over the incident.

Emergency services were called to Normanby Road, Auburn, at about 2:05pm on Tuesday, 15 September, after reports that a child had been hit by a vehicle. Police said the girl had been playing in the communal driveway when the vehicle entered the property and struck her.

NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the child at the scene before she was transported to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition. Despite medical treatment, she later died from her injuries.

The driver, a 27-year-old man, was not injured in the incident. He was taken to Auburn Hospital for mandatory testing. Following his release, police took him to Auburn Police Station, where he was charged with negligent driving occasioning death.

The man was granted conditional bail and is due to appear before Burwood Local Court on Wednesday, 16 September.

Police established a crime scene at the Auburn property as investigations continued. Authorities are examining the circumstances surrounding the collision, including how the vehicle entered the driveway and the events immediately before the child was struck.

The incident has brought renewed attention to the risks that can occur around residential driveways and shared access areas, where vehicles and pedestrians can be in close proximity. Communal driveways can be particularly difficult environments for drivers because children or other pedestrians may be moving through areas that are also used by vehicles.

A neighbour told investigators and media that she heard a loud noise followed by shouting. She said she saw the child's mother distressed after the incident and described the girl and her older brother as children she had often seen playing around the neighbourhood.

The investigation remains ongoing, and the driver will now face the court process in relation to the charge. A charge is an allegation, and the matter will be determined through the legal process.

The tragedy occurred in Auburn, a densely populated suburb in Western Sydney, and has shocked residents in the surrounding community.

Police have urged anyone who may have relevant information, including potential dashcam or CCTV footage, to assist investigators.

For local residents, the incident is also a reminder for motorists to take particular care when entering driveways and shared residential areas, especially where children may be nearby.