A three-year-old girl has tragically lost her life following a horrific multi-vehicle collision on the Sunshine Coast last week, which has left her one-year-old sister fighting for her life in hospital.
Details of the Banya Avenue Collision
The incident occurred around midday on Thursday last week on Banya Avenue near Caloundra. According to police, a Mitsubishi Fuso truck collided with the rear of a silver Nissan Qashqai near the intersection with Bruny Street. The impact sent the Nissan into a fence.
The truck then continued along the road before striking the rear of a stationary blue Haval station wagon, which was stopped in a line of traffic at the intersection with Great Keppel Way.
Seven people across four vehicles were injured in the sequence of collisions. The most seriously hurt were the two young occupants of the Haval: sisters Ineza King, aged 3, and Itahe King, aged 1. They were travelling with their 37-year-old mother, who was driving.
Community Rallies After Tragic Loss
Both toddlers were rushed to hospital in critical condition. Ineza was airlifted to the Queensland Children's Hospital in Brisbane. Almost a week after the crash, on Wednesday, she succumbed to her injuries.
Her grieving parents have described their daughter as a kind child with a beautiful soul, who was full of life and energy. They remember a little girl who loved the outdoors, bedtime stories, and having her hair styled by her mother.
Her younger sister, Itahe, remains at the Queensland Children's Hospital in a critical condition. The girls' mother was also hospitalised but has since been discharged, allowing her to stay by her daughters' sides.
Investigation and Heartbreaking Response
Police are continuing their investigation into the cause of the crash. Officers are examining whether the 52-year-old truck driver may have suffered a medical episode; he was also taken to hospital following the collision. Authorities are urging anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage from the area to come forward.
An off-duty doctor, Marcio Brussius Coelho, heard the crash and raced to help. He provided vital first aid to Ineza until the emergency helicopter arrived. Fighting back tears, Dr Coelho said the scene was emotional, especially as a father of children of a similar age, but he knew he had to act as a doctor. He immediately recognised the need for the child to be transported to Brisbane for specialist care.
The local community has begun to rally around the King family. A GoFundMe page has been established, raising more than $7,000 as of Thursday to support them through this devastating time.
