EXCLUSIVE: Finance worker mum and her son, two, are killed in horrific crash on one of Australia’s busiest motorways after veering across the road and smashing into a cement truck – as her tiny baby girl fights for life
- Kat Sila, 34 and son Kai, two, die in crash
- Car collided with truck on Hume Motorway
- Newborn baby daughter Ivy is fighting for life
A mother and her two-year-old son were killed and her four-month-old baby girl is fighting for life after she veered onto the other side of the road of a busy motorway.
Katrina Sila, 34, and her son Kai Prahastono were killed instantly when her silver SUV slammed into a cement truck on the Hume Motorway, at Menangle Park in Sydney’s south west, about 11.20am on Monday.
Ms Sila’s second child, baby Ivy, was rescued from the car’s wreckage and was flown to Westmead Children’s Hospital in a critical condition.
It is unclear exactly why Ms Sila’s car crossed from the motorway’s southbound lane into the highway’s northbound lane – although the accident was not far from a small U-turn bay.
‘I think it is hard to think anybody did survive that wreckage – such a tragic and high-speed incident,’ said paramedic Mark Gibbs, from Ambulance NSW.
Katrina Sila, 34, pictured with her husband, son Kai Prahastono and daughter Ivy
Ms Sila pictured with her husband Ilham
Ms Sila was travelling towards the family’s Denham Court home, in Sydney’s southwest, when the tragedy unfolded.
The force of the collision catapulted the SUV’s engine a hundred metres up the road, witnesses said – with a photo showing it laying by the side of the road.
The truck driver was uninjured and will undergo mandatory drug and alcohol testing.
Daily Mail Australia understands that both Ms Sila and her grieving husband, Ilham, work in finance.
A family photo posted online in January shows Ms Sila and her husband smiling as they craddled their son and newborn daughter in their arms.
‘We are heartbroken to announce the sad passing of Katrina Sila and son Kai … a loving daughter, mother, devoted wife, sister and friend to many,’ a family statement said.
Islamic prayer groups on Facebook issued a post on Tuesday announcing Ms Sila – a Thai Muslim – and her son had passed away in the crash and asked followers to pray for baby Ivy’s recovery.
Pictured: Emergency services worked to get the trapped baby out of the car
Ivy was flown to Westmead Children’s Hospital where she remains in a critical condition
The engine (pictured) was catapulted a hundred metres up the road during the crash
‘Alsalam alaykum brothers and sisters, I’d love to ask you all to please make dua [prayers] for our little baby girl fighter,’ Islamic Sound Vision wrote.
The dramatic accident sparked traffic chaos with the motorway closed on Monday.
Police are investigating the cause of the crash and will prepare a report for the Coroner.
The tragedy comes just days after a father and his two children were killed when their ute slammed into a tree at Coutts Crossing, south of Grafton in northern NSW on Saturday.
Emergency services rushed to Kangaroo Creek Road, but despite their best efforts, the 43-year-old man, 14-year-old boy, and 11-year-old girl died at the scene.