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19th Jan 2018

Eight-month-old baby killed and 16 people injured as car hits pedestrians at Copacabana beach in Rio

Conor Heneghan

Copacabana

Police officials confirmed to the AFP news agency that it was not a terrorist attack.

An eight-month-old baby was killed and 16 people were injured after a car hit pedestrians near the famous Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

According to the Globo news network, eyewitnesses said the car went over a bicycle path and across the promenade, crashing into tables and chairs in a café and hitting people in the process at approximately 8.30pm local time.

An eight-month-old baby girl died as a result and her mother is believed to be in a serious condition in hospital. 16 people in total are injured, according to the Municipal Health Department.

Four people are believed to be in a serious condition, including two children and an Australian tourist, while three were discharged from hospital early on Friday.

The driver, a 41-year-old man said he lost control of the car after suffering an epileptic seizure.

Medicines for epilepsy are reported to been found in the car, while a woman accompanying the driver confirmed to police that he had suffered an epileptic seizure.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

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