St. John’s Antigua- There are multiple scrapes and wounds causing her serious pain, almost unbearable at times.

Nevertheless, seven-year-old Destiny Marsh seemed upbeat and was smiling – though faintly – when her mother, Subrya Robinson, grandparents and OBSERVER Media staff visited her yesterday morning.

“When can I go home?” she asked, wincing as she struggled to raise her left hand to touch her mother.

Marsh was hit by a vehicle on Thursday morning while crossing Thames Street, near the Newgate Street junction.

She fell and was trapped under the vehicle, which dragged her body about 30 feet, before eyewitnesses pounded on the taxi driver’s car and told him to stop.

Several people lifted the car off the child as they awaited the arrival of paramedics.

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) technicians took her to Mount St John’s Medical Centre where nurses and doctors sutured whatever injuries they could.

There’s a gaping wound to the back of her head, several toes on her left foot were almost severed, her knees are badly bruised as well as her fingers and elbows.

The more serious injury, Marsh’s grandmother Janine Carlton pointed out, is to the child’s back as her clothing ripped away when she was being dragged – face up – under the car.

As a result of her injuries, she’s unable to ingest solid foods.

The child was removed from the general Pediatric Centre yesterday to a special care room because her injuries have left her at heightened risk of infection.

Her grandmother said doctors expect full recovery. However, she said it is unlikely that Marsh’s wish to spend New Year’s Day at home with her family would come true.

Carlton said it was shortly after 10 am Thursday when she sent Marsh to purchase icepop at a shop on the corner of Newgate and Thames Streets.

The grandmother’s stall is located two corners away from the shop.

Witnesses said Marsh was crossing Thames street when 81-year-old Walter Joseph allegedly turned his vehicle, TX 837, from Newgate Street onto Thames Street and came into contact with the child.

The elderly man was also taken from the scene to the hospital. Joseph is said to have elevated blood pressure and was still hospitalised up to late yesterday.

Meantime, Terence Harvey principal of Christian Faith Academy, where the grade two student attends school, said he was distraught when he learned of the accident.

With just about a week left before school reopens, Harvey told OBSERVER Media yesterday, “We are really saddened and we pray she will come through well. We plan to go see her and her parents and see how we could assist in the situation.”