Bangoang Tut was in his Crinigan Road, Morwell, garden with his mother and two others when a car crashed through their red picket fence at about 7pm on Sunday.

Bangoang was critically injured and died a short time later in Latrobe Regional Hospital. His mother and two male teenage family friends were treated for minor injuries.

Twenty-five-year-old Gary Edward Ryan was remanded in custody yesterday charged with culpable driving.

Yesterday Bangoang's uncle said his nephew was a friendly child, especially towards his neighbours and classmates.

He said the young boy's death had been ''a big shock'' for the family, neighbourhood and wider community.

''The sheer unexpectedness and tragedy of this situation has been difficult to bear,'' he said.

Gippsland Multicultural Services manager Lisa Sinha said Bangoang was a ''lively child'' who was doing well in school.

The family had been among the first Sudanese to move from Melbourne to Morwell, in 2006.

''They would have escaped [Sudan] and fled all sorts of horrors there,'' Ms Sinha said. ''For this to happen, it's just amazing.''

More than 400 Sudanese now live in the Morwell area and Ms Sinha said many were gathered at Bangoang's home yesterday, grieving with the family.

Elders from Melbourne and Perth were also travelling there, while non-Sudanese locals were placing flowers outside the family's home.

Bangoang was the family's oldest child and Ms Sinha said his father was still ''barely speaking with anyone'', while his mother was yet to come home from hospital.

She said Bangoang's father was a quiet, helpful and supportive man, with a ''lovely sense of humour''.

''He has been a Centrelink security officer for some time and he has been well known and well liked there and in general,'' she said.

''His mother has great skills in hair braiding and does it for lots of the community.''

Ryan did not appear at a brief hearing in the Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court yesterday and his lawyer did not apply for bail on his behalf.

Police allege Ryan crashed his vehicle into the front yard while driving with a blood alcohol level of .109, more than twice the legal limit, when he lost control of the vehicle.

His male passenger, believed to be aged in his 20s, suffered minor injuries.

Ryan was remanded in custody to reappear in the same court on March 16.

AAP