An 11-year-old boy who was tragically killed by a train at a level crossing as he walked to school is believed to have been engrossed in a video on his mobile phone, according to an investigation by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).
Jaiden Shehata, a Year 7 pupil at Riddlesdown Collegiate in South Croydon, was hit at the Bourneview footpath crossing near Kenley at around 8.03am on January 23. The train, operated by Southern, was travelling at approximately 50mph. The driver sounded the horn and applied the emergency brake upon seeing Jaiden begin to cross, but he did not have time to move clear.
CCTV footage showed Jaiden approaching the crossing, alternating his gaze between the path ahead and a glowing object—likely a mobile phone screen—while his hood was drawn over his head. Examination of his phone revealed that a video clip was playing at the time of the incident. The RAIB concluded that the accident occurred because Jaiden failed to recognise the danger, probably due to being distracted by his phone.
The crossing, which Jaiden used daily since starting school in September 2024, lacks warning lights or barriers. Users are expected to stop, look, and listen for trains. Network Rail's most recent risk assessment in May 2023 documented six near misses between November 2018 and February 2023, and a fatality occurred at the crossing in March 2020, deemed a deliberate act.
The RAIB has urged schools to collaborate with railway infrastructure managers to introduce targeted railway safety lessons for pupils of all ages. It also issued two recommendations for Network Rail and the Rail Safety and Standards Board: making hazardous zones at level crossings more visible, especially for distracted users, and considering alternative risk mitigation strategies for younger users.
An RSSB spokesperson expressed deepest sympathies to Jaiden's family and said they would work to implement the recommendations. Network Rail's Sussex route director, Lucy McAuliffe, added that the thoughts of the rail industry remain with Jaiden's loved ones and the school community.
