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23rd July 2024
11:49am BST
More than £250,000 has bene raised for an 11-year-old girl whose entire family was killed in a car crash.
Shane Roller, 33, his partner Shannen Morgan, 30, and their two daughters Rubie, nine, and Lillie, four, died on Sunday when the Ford Focus they were in collided with a motorbike on the A61 between Wakefield and Barnsley.
The couple had another daughter, 11, who was with her family at the the time of the crash.
LBC reports that she was at a friend's house at the time.
A GoFundMe has since been set for the child, and has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds. The page was set up by Paul Hepple, who had been looking after the eldest daughter at the time of the crash.
He wrote on the page that she had "lost her whole world in an instant."
The page reads: "We are reaching out to you with heavy hearts and a plea for help.
"On 21st July 2024, a tragic car accident took the lives of (the girl's) entire family - her loving mum, dad, and two little sisters.
"At just 11 years old, (she) has lost her whole world in an instant."
At the time of writing, the page has received 14,500 donations totalling £251,009.
In an update on Monday night, Hepple said: “We are absolutely blown away by the incredible generosity and kindness shown by all of you.”
“This outpouring of love and compassion is truly heartwarming and is making an enormous difference in her life.”
He said the donations were providing the girl with "the stability, care, and resources she needs to navigate this difficult time."
He explained in a post on the page on Tuesday morning that he was a close friend of the daughter's family, and that she was best friends with his stepdaughter.
Hepple added that the 11-year-old had been staying with him and his family since the tragedy.
He assured people that "every penny" donating would be going to the child's aunt, who is her new guardian.
"[She] will be staying and living with her auntie, who is an amazing, loving, and capable guardian," he said.
Hepple said she would be "entirely responsible for managing the donations" and they would be used for the youngster's "well-being, including her living expenses, education, and any counselling she may need".
The crash occurred at around 15:55 between Staincross and Newmillerdam, with the motorbike involved allegedly driving on the wrong side of the road.
The man and woman on the motorbike also died at the scene, but West Yorkshire Police has said it is not in a position to name them.
