Baby delivered from dead car crash victim
HEARTBROKEN father Daniel Stirling is grieving for his partner Sarah Paino and miracle baby and the community is rallying behind him with a campaign.
A NEWBORN son delivered from a woman killed in a Hobart car crash is in a stable condition, hospital authorities say.
The 32-week-term boy delivered after the CBD crash yesterday was earlier reported as being in a critical condition.
His late mother Sarah Paino, 24, was taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital where her newborn remains with her partner Daniel Stirling and her toddler son keeping a vigil.
Mr Stirling’s employer Banjos Bakery, in Salamanca, had set up an online fundraising page that had so far collected $54,000 in less than 24 hours, a company spokeswoman said.
“Banjos is a really close-knit family and it has definitely sent shock waves right through the network,” she said.
Donations could also be made in a separate second fundraiser set up at MyState bank, BSB 807-009, account number 60207105, and account name MyState.
IT’S a tragedy almost beyond comprehension.
A newborn baby boy, delivered after his mother was killed when an allegedly stolen four-wheel drive ploughed into her car, was clinging to life in hospital last night.
As the Hobart community rallied behind the 32-week-term baby, the 15-year-old alleged driver was charged with the woman’s manslaughter.
Police alleged the youth and three teenage accomplices crashed at high speed into the 24-year-old pregnant woman and her son, aged two, minutes after she dropped her partner at work at Salamanca.
The crash, which happened just after 1am yesterday at the intersection of Davey and Argyle streets in the Hobart CBD, saw both vehicles flung across the thoroughfare.
The woman died at the scene but paramedics rushed her body to hospital to save her unborn child.
The baby was delivered at the Royal Hobart Hospital, under incredible conditions, where he remained in a critical condition last night.
The woman’s partner and family have been holding a vigil by the baby’s side, praying it can pull through.
Her two-year-old suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.
Police alleged the driver fled the scene but was caught by Hobart detectives at 7am yesterday at Kingston.
It was understood he would face a second charge of manslaughter if the newborn dies.
Police would not rule out charging the other youths — two girls aged 12 and 15, and a 15-year-old boy in relation to the mother’s death.
Mark Maumill, a Banjo’s franchise owner, where the woman once worked and where her partner is employed, spoke of a “lovely, lovely woman” whose whole world was her children.
“All the staff are devastated, she was in the bakery nearly every day, she was part of the team,” Mr Maumill said.
“Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the family, but words seem hollow at this stage.”
Police southern Commander Glenn Frame said it was a “terrible” event which had traumatised everybody involved.
“Our deepest sympathy and condolences go out to the family and the friends of the deceased. It was an avoidable tragedy,” he said.
“This has been a traumatic experience for all of us — the family, police, the young people in the accident and the witnesses who were there and saw it.”
Following the collision, the four-wheel drive, allegedly stolen from Glenorchy, burst into flames indicating the impact of the crash.
The teenagers all received minor injures, which were treated at hospital while they stayed under police guard.
Hobart residents were shocked at the scale of the tragedy.
Floral tributes have been laid at the crash site while MyState and Banjo’s have opened separate donation funds for the family. By late last night, more than $40,000 had been donated.
A candlelit vigil will be held at the crash site at 8pm today.
Police allege the Rav4 was stolen about 11pm in Glenorchy before it was seen driving erratically without headlights just before 1am on the Eastern Shore.
It was allegedly seen again on the Tasman Bridge driving at more than 120km/h towards the CBD. Minutes later, it allegedly collided with the woman’s Nissan Tila.
On both occasions, police tried to intercept the vehicle but did not pursue it out of concern for public safety.
“I know there may be people in the community who think we should have chased this vehicle but the last thing we want is to increase the risk to the public,” Mr Frame said.
“Our officers made a good decision in our view not to attempt to intercept the vehicle.”
The 15-year-old alleged driver appeared in court and was remanded in custody without entering a plea.
He was also charged with stealing a motor vehicle. The other youths have yet to be charged.
At the request of the family, the Mercury chose not to name or run photos of the woman killed.
A police statement said: “Based on information received, police believe the stolen Toyota Rav (Qld registration 13 LUK) contained four occupants at the time of the crash, all youths.”
“The driver decamped the scene, immediately following the crash.”
The collision happened at the intersection of Davey and Argyle streets, regulated by traffic lights.
There were no obvious signs of braking visible at the crash site.
Wreckage was strewn across Davey St Friday morning, with the badly damaged Toyota Rav and a sedan on opposite sides of the wide arterial road just behind the Hobart Town Hall.
The Toyota Rav had come to a stop 15 metres further up Davey St after smashing into the Maritime Museum of Tasmania property.
The sedan came to a stop five metres further up Davey St on a footpath near the Tasmanian Travel and Information Centre.
There were major traffic delays as Davey St was closed until the right-hand lane between Argyle and Elizabeth streets was reopened about 9am.
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