19-year-old woman dies on way to Xmas holiday with boyfriend

A 19-year-old Sydney woman was travelling with the love of her life to a houseboat holiday when she was killed in a car crash in the state’s southwest.

Matthew Agius and Casey Mallia were in a car crash in the Riverina region.

A 19-year-old Sydney woman was travelling with the love of her life to a houseboat holiday when she was killed in a car crash in the state’s southwest.

Casey Mallia and her boyfriend Matthew Agius, both 19, were on their way to the Christmas getaway when the accident happened early Saturday morning on the Sturt Hwy in the Riverina region, about 45km southeast of Narrandera.

Casey Mallia died in the tragic accident.

Casey was trapped in the wreckage of the vehicle before being flown to Canberra hospital where she eventually succumbed to her injuries on Sunday night.

Matthew is in a critical condition and was still fighting for his life last night.

The couple were both from Penrith.

“Her boyfriend was the love of her life, we knew that they would have gotten married — nobody has made her happier,” older sister Ashley told The Daily Telegraph.

Casey was working in childcare before her death and shared a special bond with young children, including her little sisters Autumn, 11, and Vicki, 20 months.

At her bedside in hospital, Ashley had pleaded with her sister to hang on because her daughter Bella, 2, would miss playing with her aunt.

Matthew Agius is in a critical condition and still fighting for life. Picture: Facebook

“Casey was doing a traineeship in childcare — all the kids adored her,” Ashley said. “She was working with three to five-year-olds. She had just got a journal from one of them as a gift.

“We sat with her and spoke to her, we told her she needs to be here for the kids, she has to be here for Bella.”

Casey’s father, Patrick Mallia, said his daughter had a “heart of gold”.

“Kids were a magnet to Casey — we’re going through photos and I noticed her baby sister was always with her,” he said.

“She was just a natural with kids.

“She had a heart of gold.”

NSW police said they would continue to blitz the state’s roads and highways for Operation Safe Arrival in an effort to keep the road toll down.

The state road toll is currently over 350, significantly lower than the 392 fatalities last year, the highest number of deaths since 2010.