Top magazine editor's daughter dies on Father's day in the Hamptons

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Daughter of Closer magazine editor Annabel Vered, 43, tragically died on Sunday
Tess Burstein, 6, was struck by elderly neighbors Toyota Prius trying to see a friend
Her father, UBS banker, Josef Burstein, 46, and his wife are said to be inconsolable

Published: 20:59 EST, 16 June 2014 | Updated: 09:54 EST, 17 June 2014

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Tragic: Closer magazine editor Annabel Vered's (pictured) daughter Tess Burstein, 6, was killed at a Father¿s Day barbecue in the Hamptons when she ran out into the road

The daughter of a top magazine editor died in harrowing circumstances at a Father's Day barbecue in the Hamptons after she was hit by a car in front of her parents.

Tess Burstein, 6, whose mother is Closer magazine editor Annabel Vered, 43, was at a party for her investment banker father Josef Burstein when she ran in front of car in Water Mill trying to get to a friend.

The young girl was struck by the Toyota Prius driven by her 76-year-old neighbor and witnesses described the horrific wailing of her parents as they tried to save her on Sunday.

'I was in my back yard, and I heard the parents screaming, ‘No! No! Oh, my god! Oh, my God!’’ neighbor, Susan Infantino, 66, told The New York Post.

They were blood-curdling screams you know could only come from a parent. … I yelled over, ‘What happened What happened?’ And she said, ‘My daughter just got hit by a car!'

Tess's uncle, Amit Burstein said that his brother, Joef, 46, was completely devastated.

'She was an amazing girl, a very beautiful girl, very happy, very smart,’ Amit added of Tess. 'It’s a shock for everyone, a big, big loss.’

The family were hosting a barbecue at their summer getaway with other families when the accident happened.

Tragic: Tessa Burstein was struck by a car after running out of her parents holiday home in Water Mill on Blank Lane

The driver of the Prius, Maurice Wittenberg was driving towards the front yard of the Water Mill property with another car driving towards them.

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Witnesses said this confused Tess, who didn't see the other car through her blind spot

'I think she waited until the larger car passed, not seeing the car coming in the opposite direction, and it hit her,’ Infantino said to The New York Post.

Treatment: Tessa was transported to Southampton Hospital and then to Stony Brook University Hospital where she was treated for critical injuries before her death just after 4pm

'I swerved left, but I couldn’t really avoid her. My car hit her, and she went flying and ended up in the middle of the road,’ said Wittenberg, a retired chemist to The New York Post.

'I feel it wasn’t my fault, but it’s still a terrible thing to know you’ve killed an innocent little child. It was the worst day of my life.'

His wife said that she wishes they had spent 10 more seconds in the supermarket - and this would never have happened.

A nurse rushed to help little Tess, but she died in hospital hours later.

Tess has a nine-year-old brother and a four-year-old sister who wanted to know if Wittenber was going to be given a ticket.

That sad question aside, there is no suggestion that Wittenberg was driving negligently or outside the law.

http://nypost.com/2014/06/16/magazine-editors-daughter-killed-in-hamptons-accident/

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VelvetSky, Hendersonville, United States, 7 hours ago

Heaven has another beautiful angel , RIP sweetheart x Love and comfort to Mum and Dad...I can't begin to imagine your pain so very tragic .

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Einsteins Mom, Hooterville USA, 11 hours ago

So so tragic.

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Penguin, Atlanta, United States, 12 hours ago

My deepest sympathies to these parents, and any parent who has lost a child. I cannot imagine the grief.

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HappyWife, NYC, USA, 13 hours ago

Heartbreaking.

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Mapdoc, Los angeles, United States, 13 hours ago

So horrific. Children tend to dart. It's every motorists nightmare that it will happen while they are driving thru a neighborhood. My heart goes out to the parents as well as the driver. Neither of them and especially the parents will ever get over it.

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Sloney, San Diego, CA, 13 hours ago

Very sad. Prius's are also very quiet and it's easy to not hear them.

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whale876, Santa Clara, United States, 13 hours ago

In a driveway at a party with children around, people really should be driving at 15mph. Slower speeds wouldn't send a child flying. Please drive more safely, everyone.

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NY Opinion, New York, 13 hours ago

I'm just not understanding the red arrows here??? A child has died, a family is suffering and condolences are being expressed by caring, understanding people. Maybe the sentiments expressed here will help the family or someone else in some small way. May this baby be safe in Angels arms now. I pray for this family and all families who suffer the loss of a child.

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Petite, Texas, United States, 13 hours ago

I'm feeling the families pain. My sister-in-law, my mother-in-law and my grandmother all lost infants. My M-I-L lost her baby in a car accident on the way home from the birth. This is tremendous pain and I hope they find a way to recover. All three of the women I know eventually recovered.