A 12-year-old boy has died and three adults are seriously injured after an allegedly stolen car crashed and rolled in Cairns, far north Queensland, early Sunday morning.
Crash details
Emergency crews were called to Stratford Rd in Stratford, Cairns, at about 4:10am on Sunday after reports that a grey Toyota Fortuner wagon had been involved in a crash. The vehicle had flipped and rolled into a ditch next to a railway line. Police found the 12-year-old boy, who had been ejected from the vehicle.
Despite best efforts from police and paramedics, the boy was declared dead at the scene. Two men, aged 20 and 22, and a 19-year-old woman were treated for serious injuries before being rushed to Cairns Hospital. The car came to a stop against a billboard pole.
Vehicle reported stolen
Acting Chief Superintendent Mick Searle said the car had been reported stolen from a home on Pomona Ave in Mooroobool about an hour before the crash. He confirmed police were not pursuing the car and had had “no engagement with the vehicle” prior to the crash.
“This is a sad day for the wider Cairns community,” Searle said. “This (event) is one that we as first responders fear having to attend; we will continue to offer support to the people involved and to the first officers that attended.”
Investigation ongoing
Investigators are still talking to those involved and have not confirmed who was driving the car before the fatal accident, Searle said, but did confirm that the three adults were known to police and were also known to the 12-year-old boy. Anyone with information or CCTV footage is urged to contact police.
