South Yorkshire Police admit wrongly telling family teen died in Rotherham crash

Police Admit Mistake in Teen’s Death Notification

A police force has acknowledged that it informed the family of a teenage boy that he had died in a car crash, when he had actually survived.

South Yorkshire Police (SYP) told the family of Trevor Wynn, 17, that he had died, along with a girl of the same age, after a serious collision on Todwick Road in Rotherham on 13 December.

At that time, it was believed that Joshua Johnson, 18, was under sedation in a hospital due to his injuries.

However, on Sunday, concerns arose about the identities of those killed in the incident. This led SYP to conduct further checks, including forensic testing, after new information emerged.

The tests confirmed that Mr. Wynn was the severely injured youth in the hospital receiving treatment, while Mr. Johnson was the person who died.

Families of both teenagers will receive support from specialist services, according to police.

Police Response and Investigation

Assistant Chief Constable Colin McFarlane stated that the situation was “a huge shock to everyone,” and acknowledged the additional trauma this may cause.

“We are supporting Trevor and all the families through this and have engaged specialist agencies to help provide that support,” he added.

McFarlane also offered to meet with both sets of parents, noting that they would likely have many questions. He emphasized the commitment to understanding how this mistake occurred to prevent it from happening again.

“We have decided to refer ourselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC),” he said. “We will cooperate fully with any subsequent investigation and will be led by the IOPC on the next steps.”

Arrests Made in Connection with the Incident

An 18-year-old was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, and a 19-year-old was arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

Both individuals have been released on bail pending further inquiries.

SYP stated, “All of those involved have asked that we thank the public for their support but ask that they are now left in peace to process the future they now face.”