Police mistakenly informed the wrong family that their teenage son had passed away in a car accident, causing a distressing mix-up. South Yorkshire Police has taken the initiative to involve the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) following the incident.
Tragedy struck on December 13 when a 17-year-old girl and Joshua Johnson, 18, lost their lives in a collision on Todwick Road in Rotherham. Another teenager, 17-year-old Trevor Wynn, was also injured in the crash and hospitalized in a sedated state.
In a regrettable turn of events, authorities misidentified the sedated teen as Joshua Johnson and informed Trevor Wynn’s family of their son’s supposed demise. It was not until over three weeks later, on January 4, that doubts were raised about the victims’ identities.
Following thorough identification procedures, including forensic examinations, it has been confirmed that Trevor Wynn is the hospitalized individual receiving treatment, while Joshua Johnson has tragically passed away, as stated by the police.
Assistant Chief Constable Colin McFarlane expressed shock over the situation and emphasized the support being provided to Trevor and both families. The police have engaged specialist agencies to assist in offering necessary support and have pledged to investigate the incident to prevent a recurrence.
The decision to involve the IOPC in examining the identification processes used after the collision has been made by the police. They are fully cooperating with the investigation and await guidance on preventing such errors in the future.
An 18-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, while a 19-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. Both individuals are currently on bail pending further investigations.