Police mistakenly informed the incorrect family about the death of their teenage son in a car accident, causing significant distress. South Yorkshire Police has self-referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in light of this error.
A tragic incident occurred on December 13 when a crash on Todwick Road in Rotherham claimed the lives of a 17-year-old girl and 18-year-old Joshua Johnson. Another teenager, 17-year-old Trevor Wynn, was hospitalized and sedated following the collision.
In a regrettable mix-up, authorities misidentified the sedated teen as Joshua Johnson and informed Trevor Wynn’s family of their son’s passing. It wasn’t until over three weeks later, on January 4, that doubts were raised regarding the victims’ identities.
Following thorough identification procedures, including forensic examinations, it was confirmed that Trevor Wynn is the hospitalized individual while Joshua Johnson tragically lost his life in the accident, as stated by the police.
Assistant Chief Constable Colin McFarlane expressed the shock over the situation and assured support for Trevor and both families involved. The police have engaged specialized agencies to provide assistance and are committed to investigating the incident to prevent such errors in the future.
South Yorkshire Police has voluntarily involved the IOPC to review their role in the identification processes post-accident. An 18-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, and a 19-year-old on suspicion of perverting the course of justice, both released on bail for further investigations.