Qld mum Kelsey Henshall suffers spine injuries as 6yo daughter saves brother from wreck

As her beloved “mummy” lay unconscious, a six-year-old Qld girl managed to free her injured toddler brother from his seat after a near-miss with a kangaroo ended in a shocking crash. But the battle isn’t over.

This X-Trail was totaled after it rolled on the Capricorn Highway near Duaringa after swerving to miss a kangaroo.

In a split second a young Rockhampton family’s lives were turned upside down as their Nissan X-Trail crashed on the Capricorn Hwy near Duaringa after swerving to miss a kangaroo.

In the chaos of the accident, which happened on Sunday and badly injured the driver Kelsey Henshall, her six-year-old daughter Aria was able to get her three-year-old bother Kai out of his car seat and the vehicle before flagging down passing travellers.

Kelsey’s mother Deirdre Bull said the family were transported to hospital by ambulance and Kelsey was flown to Brisbane on Sunday night for urgent spinal surgery while Kai, who is suffering from severe swelling from facial injuries, will see a specialist in Brisbane next week.

Kelsey Henshall needed spinal surgery after her vehicle rolled on the Capricorn Highway on June 29, 2025.

Single mum Kelsey and her two children need even more help as they recover from serious injuries and mounting costs and bills including $450 to tow her X-Trail which is a write-off.

A GoFundMe appeal has begun with a target of $5500 to assist the family during this challenging time.

Mrs Bull said Aria and Kai had shown great bravery throughout their ordeal.

“Oh my God, I’m amazingly proud of them,” she said.

“They have been so good, but they miss their mum.”

Hero Aria Martin, 6, helped her young brother, 3, escape the wreck.

She said Aria was recovering well from a minor seatbelt injury but Kai wasn’t so fortunate.

“He has a broken nose and his face is very puffy and you can’t touch his face, it’s very sore and in his chin, there’s a lot of liquid,” she said.

“He was trying to get to his mummy and I don’t know if he smacked his face up against the window. I’m not sure what happened but his teeth went through his bottom gum and it was bleeding everywhere. But whatever has happened with that bleeding, it has filled his little chin with fluid and they said it’s like bubble wrap.”

Kai Martin suffered serious facial swelling from the accident.

Mrs Bull said Kelsey had tried to get the children out of their seats after the accident but had passed out from her injuries.

She said Kelsey had swerved to miss the roo and thinks she must have overcorrected before hitting a culvert which caused the car to roll over twice.

She said Kelsey would be facing a lengthy recovery after having pins inserted in her spine and was scheduled for another operation on Tuesday.

X-ray shows the pins inserted in Kelsey Henshall's spine.

“She’s having trouble with her right leg, so they’re checking for nerve damage as well,” she said.

“She had to do an MRI. She’s just so banged up. Her face is awful, she’s got a big black eye. She’s having a bit of trouble.

“I want to be with her, but I’m with the grandchildren. But we’re going down on Monday to see her and Kai has his appointment Tuesday.”

Mrs Bull said she was so grateful for the help offered by GoFundMe organisers and other people.

“You know, you just feel so alone in all of this and that phone call from GoFundMe was the thing that tipped me over, and I just cried,” she said.

“It was lovely. It’s touching when people care. She is an amazing mother, and I am so proud of her.

“I am just hoping that some generous souls could help and alleviate some of the stress that she is surrounded by.

“Please help if you can in anyway it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.”

Originally published as Qld mum Kelsey Henshall suffers spine injuries as 6yo daughter saves brother from wreck