Boy, 12, dies after being found at Wollongong home following car crash

A 12-year-old boy died in the early hours of Tuesday morning in mysterious circumstances, found in cardiac arrest near a car crash so intense it sounded like a “bomb going off”.

A 12-year-old boy who was dying from horrific injuries in a car crash was dropped off at a friend’s house before emergency services were called 90 minutes later.

Wayne Russell died in the early hours of Tuesday morning in mysterious circumstances, after paramedics found him in cardiac arrest at a house in Balgownie, about 3am.

Police believe the boy was involved in a crash earlier in the morning at Towradgi, 3km away, when a stolen Holden Barina was wrapped around a power pole.

Witnesses described hearing what sounded like a “bomb going off” when the collision happened at 1.35am.

Police from the nearby Corrimal Police Station ran to the scene but the vehicle was empty.

12-year-old Wayne Russell died after a crash in Towradgi, Wollongong early on Tuesday morning. Picture: Supplied

The driver and passenger’s doors were open, as well as one of the back doors, a witness claimed.

A short time later at 2am, emergency services were called out to a home in Balgownie where they found a 12-year-old boy suffering significant injuries.

Police at the crash scene in Towradgi. Picture: Snapchat

Paramedics treated the juvenile before he was transferred to Wollongong Hospital. He was later pronounced deceased.

A crime scene was set up at the home and at the site of the crash. Police are investigating.

NSW Police Detective acting Inspector Jason Hogan said crash investigators were looking at whether the crash was linked to a recent spate of high-speed driving incidents in stolen cars inspired by a TikTok craze.

“We are appealing to anyone with social media footage to contact police,” he said.

The corner of Memorial Dr and Towradgi Rd in Towradgi where a 12-year-old child was involved in a crash. Picture: Richard Dobson

Insp Hogan said witnesses saw a silver vehicle drop the injured boy to a Tucker Ave house, and are keen to speak to that driver.

A young woman who grew up with Wayne posted a tribute on Facebook.

“Rip lil Wayne, I’m so sorry this happened to you lil man … condolences to all Wayne’s family,” the friend wrote.

The unit paramedics were called to is a part of a public housing estate in Balgownie.

There was no one at the address where the boy was located throughout Tuesday morning, despite a porch light being left on.

Neighbours said children would often play in the front communal yards of the units, however, there were none to be seen on Tuesday.

The premises in Balgownie where paramedics found a 12-year-old with severe injuries. He died in hospital. Picture: Richard Dobson

One neighbour said they “weren’t sure” what was going on, despite increased activity in the street.

“We’ve seen so much action going on,” one neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said.

“I got up to go to the toilet last night and … there were two ambulances out the back.

“That’s terribly sad news — this street is always full of children and they all know each other. This is going to be crushing. I often give them sandwiches and stuff.”

The 12-year-old’s death is one of 10 fatalities on the state’s roads since the start of the long weekend until Tuesday morning.

Google street view of the intersection of Towradgi Road and Memorial Drive, Towradgi.

On Friday night, three pedestrians were fatally hit within 45 minutes of each other.

About 6.15pm, an 80-year-old man was struck by a Daihatsu sedan in Claremont Meadows and died at the scene.

Not long after at 6.30pm, an 83-year-old woman was hit by a Mitsubishi Triton utility, and in Penrith, just before 7pm, a 32-year-old man passed away after being struck by a Mazda BT-50 utility.

On Saturday, a 10-year-old boy lost his life in the Hunter Region after a vehicle he was in hit a tree and rolled several times.

The following day, three more people died in separate crashes in less than 24 hours.

In Burrumbuttock, a Ford Falcon sedan left Stoney Park Rd and collided with a tree between 1am and 8am, killing a 22-year-old male driver who was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

Later on Sunday at 3.20pm, a two-vehicle crash in Bungendore resulted in the death of a 17-year-old male driver of a Nissan X-Trail.

Less than an hour had passed before another two-vehicle crash took the life of a 69-year-old woman in Geurie, about 30km southeast of Dubbo, at about 4.15pm.

Early on Tuesday morning, a 37-year-old man died when the van he was driving crashed into a telegraph pole in Morpeth. He was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

Commander of Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, Acting Assistant Commissioner Trent King, pleaded with motorists to take care when driving on the roads.

“Every day, we are forced to hand out fines, suspend licences and seize the vehicles of those who seem happy to put road-users’ lives’ at risk,” he said.

“We much prefer taking these actions than we do knocking on the front door of a home late at night to inform a family that they have lost a loved one.”