The sister of a teenage girl left fighting for her life after a suspected hit and run near Port Kembla on Sunday morning has taken to social media to plead for information.
Witnesses found April-Lee Gillen, 17, lying by the side of the road on Northcliffe Drive at Lake Heights shortly after 1am on Sunday.
Her sister Kimberly wrote on Facebook that April-Lee was “in ICU on life support bleeding from her brain and not breathing on her own”.
“She may of (sic) been abused or a hit and run between 12.30 and 1.30,” Kimberly wrote.
“Any information please let me know or if she has taken anything. Please share”.
A woman who said she was April-Lee's cousin wrote: “I love you Cuz April Lee Gillen, please pull thru this. My prayers and thoughts are with you tonight”.
Police said Ms Gillen had suffered “extensive head injuries”.
Inspector Gordon Dunlop from Lake Illawarra police, said detectives were still investigating the possibility that she was the victim of a hit and run.
Ms Gillen was treated by NSW Ambulance Paramedics before being taken to Wollongong Hospital, where she remained on Monday in Intensive Care, Inspector Dunlop said.
"She's still in a pretty bad way," he said.
“She is going to survive, but the extent of the injuries to her brain is still uncertain.”
Police said a number of witnesses described hearing a noise shortly before discovering the girl on the roadway.
Northcliffe Drive resident Lola Smith, told the Illawarra Mercury that she heard a "slight bang" around the time the girl was hit.
"It's awful," she said. "We haven't had anything like that along here before.
"I just hope the girl survives."
Police have urged anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
- Dominic Geiger and Amanda Hoh
