Jessie Asquith, Ace Asquith-Crook killed in car accident near Chinchilla

The father of a woman killed in a car crash with her seven-year-old son wants them to be remembered as a “passionate, beautiful” family who had just started their new life in rural Queensland.

Jessie Asquith and her son Ace Asquith-Crook died in a crash near Chinchilla earlier this week. Picture: Supplied

The father of a woman killed in a horrific car crash alongside her seven-year-old son wants them to be remembered as a “passionate, beautiful” family who had just started their new life in rural Queensland.

Jessie Asquith, 30, and her two children – Ivy, 9, and Ace, 7 – were travelling to Chinchilla when their car hit a tree in Chances Plain on Wednesday afternoon. Tragically, both Ms Asquith and Ace died.

Ms Asquith’s father Mark Asquith on Friday said he was still coming to terms with what had happened, as he was not only mourning the loss of his family but what could have been.

“They were just ready to start a whole new life (in Chinchilla), so it has come as a big shock to everybody,” he said.

“Just before the accident, I had been talking about driving up there to take an internet box so they could get internet through the satellite.

“It was just shortly after that I got the phone call.”

Mr Asquith was a single father to Ms Asquith, and said she was “everything” to him.

“I raised her basically on my own. She was my joy, my wonder. She would continually surprise me with half the stuff she would get up to,” he said.

“She was full of life, she just loved her children and her husband. She just had a lot of love in her to give.

Ace Asquith-Crook, 7, was killed along with his mother in an accident near Chinchilla on Wednesday. Picture: Supplied.

“Sometimes she was more my inspiration than anything, just being able to see her grow into the way she was. It kept me going sometimes through my most difficult times.

“I used to tell her I think she raised me sometimes.”

Mr Asquith said his daughter strongly believed in justice and a fair go for everyone. She was a talented poet and had published a book of her work.

“She was just getting close to finishing her doctorate in Psychology, a year and a bit left,” he said.

“She wanted to work in corrective services or with prisoners. Or even potentially in domestic violence.”

Mr Asquith described Ms Asquith and her partner Shaun Crook’s relationship as a “love that would withstand the test of time”.

The pair met during high school and began dating when they were 18, and they had been inseparable ever since.

The little boy has been remembered by his grandfather as being “fiercely protective of his older sister”. Picture supplied

“They are exactly the same age and were born on the same day. They were meant to be together, whatever you want to believe in, they were destined to be together,” he said.

“Even when they had their moments, you could still see the love in their eyes. I was honestly quite jealous of their love, it was beautiful. I always wanted that kind of love.”

Mr Asquith described his grandson Ace as an old soul, and fiercely protective of his older sister.

“He just had this world of compassion. Ivy is the same, but she is a little bit more like her mum; she has a little bit more of that mischievous side,” he said.

“They had a beautiful older sibling-younger sibling relationship. They loved each other. They wouldn’t fight, but if anyone even looked at the other one wrong that would be straight there beside them.

“Even with me if I had a joke with Ivy, Ace would be there saying ‘no, she doesn’t do that’ and it would be the other way around as well.

“They were always defending each other – they just all loved each other. And starting their life in Chinchilla, you could just see they were really happy.”

Father of Chinchilla car crash victim, Mark Asquith, Friday, May 9, 2025 – Picture: Richard Walker

Mr Asquith said that when he went to see Ivy and Shaun in the hospital, he took his granddaughter for a walk outside.

“They are all struggling at the moment, but they are working their way through it,” he said.

“We sat down in the sun and the first thing Ivy said to me was ‘why me?’. She just looked at me and said she was going to miss them.

“They have a beautiful family and wonderful support from everyone, friends, and relatives.

“But like for most of us, it still feels a bit like a dream.”

Mr Asquith said he wanted the world to know about her passion, her ability to love everyone, and her talent of helping people feel important and seen.

“I also want her to be remembered for the light she was, for her dark humour. Ace got that from her and me as well,” he said.

“She just brought the best out of people, she just loved life.”

Originally published as Jessie Asquith, Ace Asquith-Crook killed in car accident near Chinchilla