South Yorkshire Police informed a devastated family that their teenage son had passed away in a tragic car accident just days before Christmas, only for him to later awaken from a coma.
The police stated that Trevor Wynn, 17, had reportedly died around 3 am on December 13 after a silver Toyota Corolla veered off the road. Shockingly, three weeks later, the family discovered that Trevor was alive and in a hospital bed, identifying himself to doctors.
In the same incident, 18-year-old Joshua Johnson lost his life in the crash, with authorities mistakenly believing he was the one receiving medical treatment. Additionally, 17-year-old Summer Louise Scott, the driver of the vehicle, also tragically lost her life.
Despite preparing for Trevor’s funeral over the Christmas period, which was scheduled for the upcoming Friday, the family was taken aback by the unexpected turn of events.
An 18-year-old was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, while a 19-year-old was taken into custody on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. Both individuals are currently on bail as investigations continue.
Assistant Chief Constable Colin McFarlane announced the decision to involve the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to review their handling of the identification processes post the road accident.
Initially, Trevor’s family was informed that he was one of the casualties in a car crash that occurred at approximately 3 am on December 13. However, the 17-year-old survived the collision and had been in a coma at the hospital for three weeks.
Only 22 days after the accident, Trevor’s family finally learned that he was alive, overturning their preparations for his funeral.
On a GoFundMe page initially created after Trevor was presumed deceased, his family shared the astonishing update regarding his survival.
The family of Joshua Johnson was given the erroneous information that their son was still alive and fighting for his life in the hospital during the holiday season, unaware that he had succumbed to his injuries.
Assistant Chief Constable Colin McFarlane of South Yorkshire Police acknowledged the potential additional distress caused by the mix-up during this tragic event.
The car accident took place on Todwick Road, near Dinnington, in South Yorkshire, where the vehicle left the roadway.