Sad reason Wayne Russell’s dad doesn’t know his boy died in Wollongong joy ride crash

Relatives have revealed little Wayne Russell’s dad still doesn’t know his 12-year-old son died after a fatal crash at Towradgi on Tuesday morning.

The father of a young boy who died after a joy ride in a stolen car does not know his eldest son has died.

Wayne Russell, 12, suffered shocking head and internal injuries and died after he was pulled from a mangled hatchback which slammed into a power pole at Towradgi, north of Wollongong, on Tuesday morning.

Relatives told The Daily Telegraph the boy’s dad Wayne Russell senior hasn’t been told about the tragedy yet because he is currently on remand in prison.

Russell senior was refused bail in August after being charged with the assault of a woman in the Illawarra region.

The father of Wayne Russell, 12, (pictured at school) doesn’t know his son died after a shocking crash because he is on remand in jail.

He is also charged with breaching an Apprehended Violence Order in place to protect the same woman.

A cousin said one of the family members planned to visit Russell in jail this weekend to tell him the tragic news about his eldest son, known affectionately as “Lil Wayne”.

Wayne, 12, died from horrific injuries he suffered when a car he was in slammed into a power pole on Tuesday morning at Towradgi, north of Wollongong. Picture: Facebook

He said the family want the news to come from them, not a prison staff member.

“This will rock him hard. That’s his boy, Lil Waynie, named after him... he won’t take it well,” the relative said.

NSW Police crash investigators continue to piece together the movements of the black Holden Barina which was stolen from a Koonawarra address on Saturday, until it slammed into a pole about 1.35am on Tuesday.

They have appealed for anyone who saw the vehicle or its occupants to contact police.

Police believe Wayne was a passenger in the car when it crashed on Memorial Drive, and was pulled from the wreckage by other occupants, before he was dropped to a friend’s place in Balgownie, and the people with him fled.

Police at the scene of a crash at the intersection of Towradgi Road and Memorial Drive, Towradgi, where a Holden Barina crashed into a traffic control light. The vehicle was found empty when police arrived Credit: Shapchat

Detectives have been given some social media footage which they are looking at in the hope of identifying the driver.

They are also looking at whether the crash is linked to an alarming craze where people post footage of high speed car chases to TikTok.

Friends of Wayne’s mother Samantha Sebbens said the distraught woman was dealing with a double blow as she struggles to pay for his funeral while also dealing with grief.

Dea Hamilton, whose sons were friends with Wayne, said the boy was a delight to everyone who met him.

“You will be missed by all who met you. A smile that lit a room and the best personality a boy could have. You were always so polite to me and a good mate to my boys,” Ms Hamilton said.

A cousin Jessica Russell posted on social media: “Rest in peace my little cousin such a young life taken far too soon”.