An 80-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing the death of a four-year-old boy at a shopping centre in Canberra's south. Maureen Brew appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday, June 25, where she entered a guilty plea to one charge of culpable driving causing death. A backup charge of negligent driving causing death was formally withdrawn by prosecutors.
Fatal crash at Mawson shopping centre
The tragic incident occurred on January 18 at Southlands Shopping Centre in Mawson. Brew was driving a blue car that struck the young boy, Osal Mayur Pokhrel, before continuing into a shopfront. Bystanders and paramedics provided treatment at the scene, and the child was rushed to hospital but died shortly after arrival.
Osal was with his parents, Prakash and Chura Pokhrel, at the time of the crash. The family had just visited a temple to offer prayers and then stopped at the shops for groceries. They are part of a close-knit Bhutanese community in Canberra and Queanbeyan.
Family seeks change after loss
Speaking to The Canberra Times, father Prakash Pokhrel expressed the family's hope that the legal process would bring about meaningful change to protect others in the future. "Nothing can bring him back," Mr Pokhrel said, reflecting on the devastating loss of their son.
The case has now been committed to the ACT Supreme Court for sentencing. Brew faces a maximum penalty of 14 years' imprisonment for culpable driving causing death. The court proceedings have drawn attention to road safety and the responsibilities of elderly drivers.
Community mourns young life
Osal's death prompted an outpouring of grief from the local community, with flowers and tributes placed at the scene of the crash. The Pokhrel family has received support from friends, neighbours, and the broader Bhutanese community during this difficult time.
The ACT Magistrates Court formally committed Brew for sentencing in the Supreme Court. A date for the sentencing hearing has yet to be set. Brew remains on bail pending further proceedings.
