Police in England have admitted to a serious error after wrongly informing a family that their 17-year-old son had died in a car crash, following a mix-up in the identification of the passengers involved.
South Yorkshire Police (SYP) initially told the family of Trevor Wynn, 17, that he had died after a “serious collision” on Dec. 13. However, in a statement released on Tuesday, Jan. 6, police confirmed that it was actually 18-year-old Joshua Johnson who died in the crash, along with a 17-year-old girl. Wynn had been alive and sedated in hospital since the incident.
“On Sunday, information came to light which has now led to further formal identification processes, including forensics, to be undertaken,” the statement said. “This has confirmed that Trevor Wynn is, in fact, the male in hospital receiving treatment and Joshua Johnson is sadly deceased.”
Police added that Trevor and the affected families will receive support from specialist officers and additional services.
The mistake was discovered after Wynn regained consciousness in hospital and gave his name, according to Sky News.
SYP assistant chief constable Colin McFarlane acknowledged the impact of the error, calling it “a huge shock” and recognizing the “additional trauma” caused to the families. He said police are providing support and have brought in specialist agencies to assist them.
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McFarlane also said he has offered to meet with the parents of both teenage boys. “I am sure they will have many questions, most of which we are not able to answer yet, but we are absolutely committed to understanding how this happened so it cannot happen again,” he said.
SYP confirmed it has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which investigates complaints and conduct issues involving police forces in England and Wales. McFarlane said the force will fully cooperate with the investigation and follow the IOPC’s guidance on next steps.
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According to earlier reporting by the BBC, police were called to the scene near Sheffield, Yorkshire, in the early hours of Dec. 13 after a silver Toyota Corolla left the road. At the time, officers said a 17-year-old girl who was driving and a 17-year-old boy had died at the scene, while an 18-year-old boy was hospitalized with serious injuries. Sky News later reported that the car had struck a tree.
In its Jan. 6 update, SYP said an 18-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, and a 19-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. Both remain on bail as the investigation continues.
