Family speaks out after boy, 6, killed in Nullica crash near Eden

A relative of the family involved in a horror South Coast crash which claimed the life of a boy and left his dad and two sisters severely injured, says the mother was driving minutes behind them before she was met by police at the scene.

A relative of the family involved in a horror South Coast crash which claimed the life of a boy, 6, and left his dad and two sisters severely injured, says the mother was driving minutes behind them before she was met by police at the scene.

The father and his two daughters, aged two and eight, remain in hospital with extensive injuries and are unaware the boy has died, relative Linda Barker revealed.

Ms Barker, mother-in-law to the children’s aunt, has spoken out after the devastating crash near Eden on Tuesday.

At about 4.10pm, emergency services were called to Towamba Road, 10 kilometres southwest of Eden at Nullica, after a LDV dual cab utility and Kenworth tipper truck collided.

The six-year-old boy, who had been a passenger in the utility, died at the scene.

A child has died and three people have been injured when a dual-cab ute and truck collided this afternoon on the Far South Coast. Emergency services were called to Towamba Road, Nullica, 10km southwest of Eden, about 4.10pm (Tuesday 13 May 2025), and found a six-year-old boy, who had been travelling in the ute, had died at the scene.

The three other people in the utility – a-31-year-old male driver and the two girls – suffered multiple injuries.

The driver was flown to Canberra Hospital while the two children were flown to Sydney Children’s Hospital.

The truck driver, 52, was taken to South-East Regional Hospital at Bega for mandatory testing and was treated for shock before being released.

A six-year-old boy died at the scene of the two-vehicle crash near Eden. Picture: Fire and Rescue NSW Eden

Crash Investigation Unit manager Det Insp Jason Hogan said on Wednesday that at least one of the girls remained in a serious condition in hospital and was being treated by specialists.

“It’s a terrible tragedy that we need to avoid,” Det Insp Hogan told reporters.

Ms Barker told The Daily Telegraph on Thursday the mother was travelling in a separate car 10 minutes behind the family before she was met by police at the scene.

“She came across police on the road and that’s how she found out. It’s just horrific,” Ms Barker said.

“It’s just total shock right now.”

Ms Barker said one of the girls had been stabilised, while the youngest remains in intensive care.

A child has died and three people have been injured when a dual-cab ute and truck collided this afternoon on the Far South Coast., , Emergency services were called to Towamba Road, Nullica, 10km southwest of Eden, about 4.10pm (Tuesday 13 May 2025), and found a six-year-old boy, who had been travelling in the ute, had died at the scene.

“The eldest girl is stable and doing really well, the younger one is in ICU and will hopefully be coming out of that today.”

She said the children – and the boy’s father – were not yet aware of their brother’s death.

The father remains in a critical condition.

“The mother is currently with family, so she’s got support there.

“We are now planning a funeral no parent should ever have to arrange. It means the mother can focus on her daughters’ and husband’s recovery without the pressure.”

Ms Barker said the family had relocated to Eden around six months ago, lived on a hobby farm and quickly became part of the local community.

“They are a very close-knit family. They were thriving and were absolutely loving it down there (in Eden).

“Their youngest daughter had just started preschool at Pambula Village Preschool.”

The preschool donated $1,000 to support the family through a GoFundMe page.

Staff said “we express our deepest sympathies and condolences to the family as they face this unimaginable tragedy and loss.”

“We send heartfelt wishes for the recovery of the family members that remain in hospital.”

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Originally published as Family speaks out after boy, 6, killed in Nullica crash near Eden