When will the parents of the children killed in the Wimbledon crash get an answer?

[GotMooMilk]

Sorry for the daily fail link. This story really resonated with me at the time as I used to work at St Georges and lived close to Wimbledon. It's been ages and those poor parents still have no answers.

What do you think happened? Before people say it's horrible to speculate and none of my business- I know but my kids are similar age and I feel heartbroken for them and you'd be desperate for some kind of closure.

Heartbreaking footage shows Wimbledon crash victim Selena Lau, eight, playing the piano at an end-of-term tea party before Land Rover smashed into grounds of school killing her and another classmate | Daily Mail Online

Such a silly argument! What do you actually want from this? It's horrific what happened and I like everyone else on this thread feels deeply for the families. Sometimes though accidents happen and nobody is to be blamed. If there was evidence of her having had previous episodes and knew she was medically unfit to drive then yes she would have been held to account. But that's not what seems to have happened. She had a seizure at the wheel and it resulted in those poor girls deaths. It's a terrible thing. But she isn't to blame for something that happened when she was unconscious however much you want her to be.

@notanothernamechange24 what are the police reviewing if we all know what happened?

What an utterly vile post. Your inverted snobbery is absolutely disgusting. You appear to have a nasty agenda against anyone who is successful and wealthier than you.

I have as much idea as you do! Why would I know anymore?
But the point remains the same innocent or guilty, rich or poor she has the right to a robust defence! It's one of the basic principles of British justice - having a fair trial. And in order to have a fair trial everyone accused deserves legal representation.

I read the article on the BBC's website today and the gist I got was they are reopening it as a rick box exercise to pacify those who thought the investigation was lacking.
I would put my bottom dollar on the outcome being exactly the same.

But justice doesn't = jail time if it was a genuine accident...

@notanothernamechange24 I certainly dont know what happened but you are the one who said we all did. I haven’t said the driver isn’t entitled to legal representation?

I thought it had been concluded that the driver had an epileptic fit?

I have every sympathy for the parents, the deaths of their daughters must feel so utterly senseless.

But it does seem that others are baying for blood and will not accept that it was a terrible accident brought on by the driver suffering a medical episode of which she had previously has no indication of.

I can't stand the nastiness aimed at the driver who is also a victim.

Exactly. And the fact is it will only extend the trauma of all involved. Trial by social media is absolutely bollocks.

And the fact is it will only extend the trauma of all involved

Have you actually read the parents statement?

But IF she genuinely had a medical episode causing her to lose control of her car and no previous history of it then it is justice that she won’t be prosecuted. The families may not like it but that’s how it is. There have been 2 cases here in Scotland with similar outcomes, albeit there were subsequently questions over whether the drivers had known of their health issues and covered it up to keep driving

The original investigation concluded that the driver had a seizure at the wheel which caused the deaths. That is what we know. Why they have reopened the case I do not know.

The person whom I was responding to initially was effectively saying that because the woman had paid for good legal representation that meant she was somehow a dreadful person who didn't care about the deaths of the two children.

I think people forget there were other families there too & staff, others were injured, all traumatised by the event etc & they also want more clarity.

Thats how I read it, as someone said above, wealthy people pushing for something that has already been established, the reason.

Wealthy or not I think all victims have a right to expect & believe due process has been carried out. The outcome will likely be the same because it can’t be proved that a seizure didn’t happen & taking witness statements now is a bit late in the day.

Equally I’m not sure if a poor person was the driver that they would have avoided any charges.

This is pure speculation on my part, but It's not uncommon for people who have had an epileptic fit to be mistakenly thought to be drunk afterwards. As it happens, a friend of a friend works at the school and the early narrative was that the driver was drunk. Whatever issues there were with the police investigation, drinking would seem to have been ruled out. I wonder if the initial rumours have taken root though?

I really hope that we don't learn that the driver had had a previous fit and decided to cover it up. That would be unforgivable for me.

If due process was not followed then it is right the investigation be re-opened and process followed properly this time.

What I wish would be made more prominent in reporting is the fact that the size and heaviness of the vehicle was a key factor in the deaths of those children.

That car was only able to mount the kerb and flatten the fence because it was larger and heavier than was needed for the terrain. A smaller, lighter car would not have got up the kerb and through the fence and the children would not have been struck.

A child is 14 times more likely to die in a road accident if they are hit by an SUV than if they are hit by an ordinary car. SUVs are in no way necessary on the streets of Wimbledon village. Had the driver been driving a car appropriate to urban streets the children would be alive today.

Good point @ATerrorofLeftovers

I really hope that we don't learn that the driver had had a previous fit and decided to cover it up. That would be unforgivable for me.

unless you told your doctor how would anyone know though?

Completely agree. I know it isn't a popular opinion but I would like to see large SUV's banned in residential areas or a ban within a certain parameter around schools.

A woman lives near me (new build estate not a rural area) has a Land Rover Defender. It is actually scary how large it is. She might as well be driving a bloody tank.

They’re huge! I live in SW London, not far from Wimbledon, and every 4th or 5th car is one of these hulking things. Just to be driven up congested roads with a 20mph limit. They’re dangerous and bad for the climate.

I totally agree. Anyone who buys one of these is taking a tremendous risk. I would love to see them banned at least in urban areas. Plus round here everyone has to use two parking spaces to park them. Monstrously selfish.

Totally, totally agree. Had she been driving a remotely sensible sized car the outcome would have been different. Revoltingly selfish choice of car.