‘We know you’re all angry, but please stop’: Alicia Montebello’s family pleads for vandals to stop destroying tribute

A roadside memorial for Alicia Montebello – killed with four teens in a horrific Victorian crash – has been targeted by vandals, sparking a desperate plea by her mother.

The mother of an Adelaide woman who died in a horror crash in Victoria alongside three teenagers has pleaded with vandals to stop targeting her daughter’s tribute site.

Alicia Montebello’s family set up a makeshift memorial at the crash site in Bochara after the 31-year-old died in the devastating smash last week.

But over the past week, the tribute site has been the constant target of “trashing”, with a tribute sign ripped down and solar lights wrecked.

Her mother Debbie Montebello wrote on Facebook, “We know you are all angry at Alicia. But please stop. We are grieving (and) hurting too.”

Ms Montebello said her youngest son had been frequently visiting the site to “talk to his sister”.

“He phones us (and) video chats us here in Adelaide, so we can be with him and comfort him,” she wrote.

“Tonight, he noticed that our plaque we nail to the tree has been ripped down. He is so upset and angry and devastated and in pain.

“So please please stop destroying (our) memorial stuff. I’m calling for peace. We all lost someone we love. Please."

Part of the tribute to Alice Montebello at Bochara, which has been destroyed. Picture: Facebook/Hamilton Victoria’s Community Group

Tributes by Alicia Montebello’s family at the crash site. Picture: Facebook/Hamilton Victoria’s Community Group

Ms Montebello said they would make another sign to replace the one destroyed.

­Alicia Montebello.

The sign read: In loving memory of Alicia Jade Montebello. Forever loved, you will always be missed. RIP love mum and dad.

In another social media post on May 31, Ms Montebello said they had left “solar lights at the crash scene, so (their) beautiful children are never in the dark anyone.”

On the following day, she said the family’s tribute note and lights had been destroyed by vandals.

“This is so very upsetting. My son just went to visit his sister and it’s broken his heart. He is devastated,” Ms Montebello wrote in the comment section.

“We are all hurting and there is a lot of blame and anger going around. We have all lost someone we love,” she wrote. “The lights (were) placed there for all our children so they never have to be alone in the dark again.

“Please have some respect. I am asking for the community help that it doesn't get destroyed again please. Thank you.”

Solar lights and lollies left at the scene of the fatal crash by Alicia Montebello's family. Picture: Facebook/ Hamilton Victoria’s Community Group

Solar lights were left in tribute at the scene. Picture: Facebook/Hamilton Victoria’s Community Group

Ms Montebello, who had moved to Victoria from South Australia last year, died in the tragic crash along with teenagers Joshua Elmes, 15, Lucus Garzoli, 14 and Meghan Fox, 14.

A red Toyota Corolla steered off the road and crashed into a tree at Wannon Nigretta Falls Rd at Bochara, in the early hours of May 27.

A driver later discovered their bodies and the mangled vehicle in trees around 9.30am.

The fifth and only surviving victim of the crash, Jorja Fox, 17, was rushed to Melbourne’s Alfred hospital with serious critical injuries.

Police are yet to determine the circumstances leading up to the fatal crash, and whether Ms Montebello was the driver of the vehicle at the time of the crash.

Police remove the crashed car at the Bochara fatal crash scene where four people were killed in a car accident. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

Ms Montebello was often seen driving around Hamilton in the same red vehicle was found at the scene of the crash.

SA court documents uncovered Ms Montebello’s history of driving offences, while other people who had previously driven with her said she urged them not to wear a seatbelt and was known for driving erratically.

One of the videos uploaded by Ms Montebello to a TikTok account using her name showed a young girl believed to be Jorja Fox in the passenger seat of a car without a seatbelt.

Originally published as ‘We know you’re all angry, but please stop’: Alicia Montebello’s family pleads for vandals to stop destroying tribute