Buxton crash driver Tyrell Edwards granted bail amid concerns he might suicide

The teen’s mother behind the wheel of a ute that crashed and killed his five friends has told a court she overheard prison guards talking openly about whether her son could commit suicide.

Tyrell Edwards, 18, was released this week under strict conditional bail, a month after the horror crash that killed his five young friends, aged between 14 and 16, in Buxton, southwest of Sydney.

Ten days after the accident, his mother Renee Edwards feared for his life, and in a Sept. 16 affidavit, he feared he “may not make it to the day.”

The teen’s mother, Tyrell Edwards, who was behind the wheel of a ute that crashed and killed his five friends, has told a court she has heard prison guards openly discussing whether her son could commit suicide

Her son was charged with five counts of dangerous driving resulting in death and was placed under suicide watch and was “clearly distressed”.

Ms Edwards told the NSW Supreme Court that she was outraged by a conversation she claimed overheard between prison guards after speaking to Tyrell Edwards. The Daily Telegraph reported.

She couldn’t understand much of what her son was saying during the phone call because he was “so upset.”

Ms Edwards told the court she overheard two “correctional officers” talking about the chance that her boy would take his life.

The exchange took place after Mrs. Edwards’ son returned the phone to the prison guards after the difficult call.

A large crowd of supporters attended Tyrell Edwards’s first court appearance in Picton, south-west Sydney, last month.

She claimed to have heard a woman’s voice say, ‘Do you think he’ll do it? He is responsible for five deaths.’

A man’s voice replied, “Kill himself?”

Ms Edwards was outraged and made an official complaint to Justice Health about the interaction and was told it would be investigated.

She was also told that her son was showing signs of “suicidal thoughts” but was in a “secure cell” and constantly monitored by video.

Ms Edwards told the court that contact with her son was inconsistent and when they spoke he was “quiet and flat”.

The court also heard that he was experiencing post-traumatic stress.

Edwards was the sole survivor of the crash, while passengers were Lily van de Putte, 15, Antonio Desisto, 15, Summer Williams, 14, Tyrese Bechard, 16, and Gabby McLennan, 14.

Edwards was released on bail, with $100,000 bail, partly so he can receive psychological treatment for his deteriorating mental health.

Justice Robert Beech-Jones said Edwards “feared for his life” and was badly affected by the fatal accident.

Tyrell Edwards feared for his life after the horror crash that killed his five friends

“The psychologist described the applicant as affected by a combination of prominent distress, complex grief, fear, survivor’s guilt and shame, self-condemnation and awareness of the stigma he is likely to face, both in the prison environment and in the community,” he said. he.

Shortly after his transfer to the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Center in Silverwater, it was reported that Edwards was struggling and has “nothing to live for.”

NSW Corrective Services said in a statement that the “safety and well-being” of inmates is its “primary concern.”

The statement added that it assessed the management of inmates, including “vulnerable” people and those at risk because of their mental health.