‘A real life angel’: Tributes pour in for heavily pregnant mother, 38, who was killed alongside her unborn baby when a police car ‘doing more than 70mph’ ploughed into her Polo
By Taryn Pedler[1] and Olivia Christie[2]
Published: 19:38, 20 October 2024 | Updated: 23:51, 20 October 2024
Tributes have begun pouring in for a heavily pregnant woman who was killed alongside her unborn baby after a Met police[3] car being driven at more then 70mph ploughed into her Polo.
Flowers left to the woman named in a tribute only as Mariam have been left outside Sutcliffe Park Sports Centre following the horror incident which took place at around 6.15pm on Thursday on the A20 in Eltham, southeast London[4].
One tribute reads: ‘Mariam – The most amazing wife, mummy, daughter, sister and friend. Having you in our lives was such a blessing. You were a real life angel on earth and our lives will never be the same again.
We promise to always look after your family.
‘Baby – we never got to meet you but we know that you and mummy are together looking after each other you will always be in our hearts.
‘Sleep tight our friend and bubba. We love you beyond words.’
People lay flowers at the scene near the A20 and Kidbrooke Park Road in Eltham, southeast London, where a heavily pregnant woman and her baby died following a collision with an unmarked police car on Thursday
The woman, 38, was named only as Miriam in a tribute
The heavily pregnant woman and her unborn baby died after the vehicle they were in was hit by the unmarked Met police car, reportedly driving at a speed of 70mph
Witnesses have recalled the Mariam’s husband running out of the nearby sports centre on Kidbrooke Park Road yelling ‘that’s my wife’ on Thursday evening.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is now appealing for witnesses as they investigate the circumstances surrounding the fatal collision involving a Metropolitan Police vehicle.
A mother and son who were driving directly behind the 38-year-old woman said the police car hit her blue VW Polo at high speed near the junction with Kidbrooke Park Road.
The mother said a wheel of the woman’s car came off in the crash and the Polo’s bonnet had ended up under her own vehicle.
‘She stood no chance, there was no time for her to move, it could have been us, a few seconds later – there was no time to react, she said.
Her son added: ‘They probably hit her at about 70 or 80 miles per hour, but that was once he’d braked, but coming down the road he was probably doing more.’
He said that the woman’s husband was screaming at his dying wife to keep breathing, before he was taken back into the leisure centre by a member of the public.
An IOPC spokesperson, said: ‘The driver, and sole occupant, of the vehicle was a heavily pregnant woman. Sadly, the woman and her baby died.
‘The collision happened at around 6.15pm on Thursday when an unmarked police vehicle was involved in a collision with the member of public’s vehicle.’
They added: ‘We were notified by the force and sent investigators to the scene and post-incident process to begin gathering evidence.
We are gathering CCTV footage, obtaining data from the police vehicle and liaising with the coroner’s office.’
The victim has not been formally identified but her next of kin have been informed.
The spokesperson added: ‘We have spoken with them today and will keep them updated as our investigation progresses.’
IOPC regional director Mel Palmer said: ‘Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have died and all of those affected by this tragic incident.
‘It is important we establish all of the circumstances surrounding this incident and our investigation is in its very early stages. This is a busy road, and the collision happened in the early evening when people are likely to have been travelling.
Two officers who were in the unmarked car were taken to a major trauma centre following the collision. They have since been discharged
It is not known if the unmarked police car was responding to an emergency incident at the time of the crash
‘We would like to hear from anyone who was in the vicinity at the time and may have witnessed the incident or the moments leading up to it.
‘Anyone who saw anything or has footage is encouraged to get in touch with our investigators.’
Eltham MP Clive Efford said in a statement: ‘This is a terrible tragedy, and my heart goes out to the family of the victims.
‘The incident is now under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct and there are many questions that I will be putting to them which I hope they will be able to answer in their final report.’
Detective Chief Superintendent Trevor Lawry, in charge of policing in Greenwich, said: ‘My heart goes out to the woman’s family and friends who have lost their loved ones in these tragic circumstances.
‘An investigation into the circumstances of this collision is under way by the Independent Office for Police Conduct and we will assist with their enquiries in any way we can.’
It comes as locals, left horrified by the crash, have raised concerns about the safety of Kidbrooke Park Road – with some describing it as a ‘lethal trap’.
The woman is the second person to be killed on the stretch of road in just a matter of weeks.
On October 1, a woman in her 60s died after she was hit by a motorbike while walking along Kidbrooke Park Road.
Local Charlie Fancy, 25, said told News Shopper that speeding is a common issue in the area.
She said: ‘It’s scary when you’re trying to cross the road, especially with a buggy because it’s just coming off of the [A2] motorway so cars come really fast around the corner.’
Flowers at the scene near the A20 and Kidbrooke Park Road in Eltham, southeast London
This map shows where the crash happened at 6.15pm in southeast London on Thursday night
Firefighters were reportedly forced to cut through the roof of the car in order to access the woman
One well wisher left this card: ‘My deepest thoughts are with you and your baby, your family and friends’
Another who wished to remain anonymous added: ‘The main problem is people coming off the motorway at 50 miles per hour straight into an area with a nursery and two schools so it’s a bit of a lethal trap.’
It is not yet known if the police car was responding to an emergency when the woman and her unborn baby were killed.
One witness Abu Bakar, 34, claimed the woman was turning into the Sutcliffe Park Sports Centre when an unmarked police car ‘driving on the wrong side of the road’ collided with her.
‘Four police cars had their lights on racing down the road. The speed they were doing – I’ve never seen anything like it,’ he said.
‘One of the cars hit her and she flipped three times.
Her car was very badly smashed up.’
A video filmed by Mr Bakar after the crash showed a blue vehicle on the side of the road looking badly damaged.
Another eye witness told the Telegraph an unmarked police car, thought to be a black Volvo, had its blue lights and siren on at the time.
The unnamed witness said: ‘I heard it before I saw anything, and I looked out of the window and I saw the unmarked police car.
‘I didn’t see it go into the other car, but it looked like it was doing some speed.
‘The other car, a blue car, collided, flipped about three times across the pavement, and then turned upright and landed there.
References
- ^ Taryn Pedler (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Olivia Christie (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Met police (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ London (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ London (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Met Police (www.dailymail.co.uk)