A young man has been charged after a fatal crash that claimed three lives, including a newborn boy, in Western Australia’s outback two months ago.
Emergency services were called to Geraldton-Mount Magnet Road near Yalgoo at around 10.50pm on August 10 after a Toyota HiLux car rolled.
Gabrielle Brockman, 21, and her five-week-old nephew Levi Ashwin died at the scene.
Levi’s mother Marrika Brockman, 33, later died in hospital.
She was one of four flown to Royal Perth Hospital by the Royal Flying Doctor Service with serious and critical injuries.
The others were two men aged 22 and a third man aged 43.
A Newman man, 22, has since been charged with three counts of dangerous driving occasioning death in circumstances of aggravation and two counts of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm – in circumstances of aggravation.
He was due to appear at South Hedland Magistrates Court later on Thursday evening.
Five-week-old Levi Ashwin and his aunt Gabrielle Brockman, 21, died after a serious car crash on Geraldton-Mount Magnet Road near Yalgoo on August 10.
Levi’s mother Marrika Brockman, 33, later died at Royal Perth Hospital as a result of injuries she sustained in the crash
Ms Brockman’s family had just attended a funeral in Meekatharra and were making the 535km journey back to Geraldton in the state’s south-west when tragedy struck.
The mother worked as a hotel cleaner and is remembered as a ‘proud’ parent to Levi.
Mount Magnet Shire president Jim McGorman said what happened to the family was “tragic” and “incomprehensible”.
“They went to school here – my wife taught two of the girls involved in the incident, so it’s very close to home for many of us,” he told 7News.
After the woman’s death, their mothers encouraged drivers to stop and take a break during long drives.
‘(Marrika) was very proud of that baby; she did everything she could,” Cynthia said.
Gabrielle’s mother, Phyllis, described her as a happy child who was always smiling, playing and laughing.
A man has been charged in connection with the crash that killed two young women and a five-week-old baby
At the time, WA Premier Roger Cook called it a “terrible, horrible incident” that “must have been a harrowing scene” for the first responders who attended.
“Because of the nature of this situation, the first responders were largely volunteers,” Cook told the ABC.
“And so our hearts go out to the families of the victims and the first responders, we thank them for their incredible work.
‘It must have been a moving scene and we wish everyone affected by this incident the very best.’