Tribute paid to teenage boy following fatal collision in Portsmouth

A tribute has been paid to a 14-year-old boy who died following a collision involving a bus in Portsmouth.

At about 4.25pm on Monday 17 August, police were called to The Hard after reports of a serious collision involving a pedestrian and a bus.

The pedestrian, 14-year-old Beau Croucher from Portsmouth, was taken to hospital for treatment but sadly passed away.

His family are being supported by specialist officers and have now shared the following tribute to him: “We have always been a very private family, choosing to keep the most important parts of our world just for us.

“We feel we need to share this now, for us, and out of respect for our darling boy, Beau.

“On Monday, Beau went out for the afternoon. He never came home.

“Right now, all of our love, our focus and our entire world is Beau.

“These are the stories you hear about and think, that could never happen to us. You never, in a million years, imagine that something so unimaginable could happen to your perfect little family.

“There are no words that can come close to describing the magnitude of the pain we are living with. It is beyond anything we ever knew was possible to feel. Our hearts are broken in a way we didn’t know a heart could break.

“Beau is our absolute world. Our heartbeat. Our obsession. Our beautiful, innocent baby boy. To know Beau was to love him. When you got to spend time with Beau it was a privilege. He had a unique way of making people laugh. His humour was effortless, his observations were always on point, and he brought joy and laughter to everyone who knew him.

“His intelligence has always astounded us. From an early age we realised how exceptional his mind was. He was in top sets at school, loved spending time with his friends and he was happiest when he was around those he cared about.

“Beau carried himself with a quiet confidence and kindness that never went unnoticed. Beau was Pompey’s number 1 fan. His favourite thing was to go to Fratton Park and following the Blues with his dad and grandad.

“Beau loved going on holiday, it was only last week that we were all enjoying being together in London for his birthday and then Cornwall, where he loved to spend time with his family. He always showed gratitude for the life he lived.

“Beau was like sunshine, his light was so strong, and he always stood out in a crowd. It’s like we were blessed with an angel. It’s difficult for us to truly explain how much he meant to everyone and what an incredible boy he was. There are no words to describe the depth of our love for him, or the emptiness that is left behind without him here.

“Our friends and family have been our pillars these past few days, literally picking us up off the floor and carrying us through moments we never believed we would have to face. We have been completely overwhelmed and comforted by the outpouring of love, messages and support. We thank you as a family.

“We will share more about our beautiful Beau in time, because he deserves to be known, remembered and loved. Please continue to talk about him, remember him and continue to say his name.

“For now, we ask for privacy as we try to navigate this unimaginable time.”

The driver of the bus, a 39-year-old man from Portsmouth, was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and then released on bail until 17 November while further enquiries are carried out.

As part of our ongoing investigation, police ask anyone who witnessed this incident or has any information, including relevant dash cam or CCTV footage, to call 101 and quote reference 44260399748.

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