Five-year-old girl dies in Shepparton crash that injured pregnant mother and killed her unborn baby
A five-year-old girl and an unborn baby have been killed and two adults seriously injured after three cars crashed in Victoria.
The vehicles – a silver Toyota LandCruiser, a black Ford Territory and a white Toyota LandCruiser – collided at the intersection of Old Dookie and Boundary Roads in Shepparton East about 2pm on Friday.
Savannah Kemp, 5, who was a passenger in the silver LandCruiser, died at the scene, while the 26-year-old woman driving that car was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
A 32-year-old pregnant woman driving through the area was flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with serious injuries, and police confirmed on Saturday that her unborn child had died.
Savannah Kemp, 5, who was a passenger in the silver LandCruiser, died at the scene, while the 26-year-old woman driving that car was taken to hospital with serious injuries
Guthrie Street Primary School, where Savannah was due to attend school next year, confirmed the news on Facebook and called on the community to rally around her family
The driver of the white LandCruiser, a 33-year-old man from Shepparton, and his passenger, a 22-year-old Katandra West man, were taken to hospital for observation.
Guthrie Street Primary School, where Savannah was due to attend school next year, confirmed the news on Facebook and called on the community to rally around her family.
“The Guthrie Street School community is saddened by the tragic passing of Savannah Kemp,” the message said.
“Savannah was due to attend Guthrie St in 2024 and join her brothers. Please support the family at this tragic time, through the meal train option or through the GoFundMe pages.”
Locals flocked to pay tribute to the youngster.
“Thinking of you all at this sad time makes my heart break for you,” one woman wrote.
“Fly high and free on your golden wings baby, we will miss your endless energy in basketball and that beautiful smile. Sending love to you guys, RIP Savannah.”
A family friend, identified only as Celeste H, did launched a fundraising campaign to cover funeral costs and ‘the unimaginable costs associated with the death of a family member’.
As of early Sunday morning, the fundraiser has raised nearly $25,000 for the family.
Another friend, Ellesha Ellis, created a meal train for the family and warned locals that the Kemp family’s “beautiful daughter and sister, five-year-old ‘Savvy’, Savannah, was tragically taken from them in a devastating car accident .
“May you rest in peace beautiful girl, heaven got an angel way too soon,” she wrote.
The vehicles – a silver Toyota LandCruiser, a black Ford Territory and a white Toyota LandCruiser – collided at the intersection of Old Dookie and Boundary Roads in Shepparton East about 2pm on Friday.
A man who lives near the scene and did not want to be named told the Herald Sun he was making a cup of coffee when he heard the crash.
A man who lives near the scene and did not want to be named told the Herald Sun he was making a cup of coffee when he heard the crash.
“Normally you hear a screech and a thump, but there was no screeching from the tires, just a very strange sound like two accidents in quick succession,” he said.
“It wasn’t a bang… I thought that sounded strange.”
He ran outside and managed to free the five-year-old girl from the wreckage, but she had already died from the impact.
“Officers are working to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the collision,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
‘Anyone who witnessed the incident or has a dashcam is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report it online.’
It follows a separate fatal crash in Victoria on Friday when a motorcycle and a truck collided at Christmas Hills, east of Melbourne, about 6.20am, killing the driver.
The Victoria Police website reports the state’s death toll so far in 2023 is 230, compared to 198 lives lost at the same time in 2022.