FAMILY TORN APART
Five girls orphaned after mum, 40, and dad, 39, killed in ‘hit-and-run’ crash as family ‘distraught’
FIVE children were orphaned when their motorbiking parents crashed with a hit-and-run car driver.
Mohammed Shahdab and his pillion-passenger wife Sheikela Razaq died instantly on a stretch of road branded a “death trap” by local residents.
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A blue Saab left the scene but a 47-year-old man was later arrested.
Mohammed, 40, was an IT specialist at a special needs school. His wife would have been 40 this Friday.
They leave five girls — Aliyah, 17, Meme, 16, Mariah, 13, Aisha, 11 and Zhara, five.
The four older sisters have been told about the tragedy in Acocks Green, Birmingham, at around 5.45pm on Saturday. But autistic Zhara is still unaware.
Sheikela’s sister Anisha travelled from Glasgow to be at the family home in Solihull.
She told The Sun: “We spoke every day. She was not just my sister, she was my best friend.
“Our parents are here — they are so distraught. We are still deciding who will look after the children.”
She described Mohammed as “one of life’s good guys”.
One local said: “I’ve lost count how many crashes I’ve seen here. It’s such a dangerous road.”
A neighbour of the couple added: "Mo was a lovely bloke."
Locals told how they rushed out to help the couple as they lay dying in the road.
Dad-of-four Saif Minhas, 47, said: "We heard a bang from the road and ran out.
"There were two people lying on the floor on the other side of the road and bleeding heavily.
"The bike was ahead of them facing down the road.
"The car wasn't there so must've driven off.
"Lots of people were already with them and we checked for a pulse but there was nothing there."
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Grandfather-of-two Andrew Gott, 75, said: "This road is horrendous and there have been five crashes since Christmas which is ridiculous, the council needs to do something."
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West Midlands Police's DS Paul Hughes appealed for witnesses, adding: “Our thoughts are with the victims’ family members and friends at this traumatic time."
A 47-year-old man who was arrested near the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving has been released under investigation while enquiries continue.
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