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7th March 2023
10:00am GMT
The mother of one of two survivors of a car crash in Cardiff reportedly drove past her daughter, who was semi-conscious with a broken neck and spine, unaware she was trapped in the wreckage with three dead friends.
Sophie Russon, 20, is fighting for her life in hospital along with Shane Loughlin, 32.
Darcy Ross and Eve Smith, both 21, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, died in the smash in the early hours of Saturday after the group went missing following a night out.
Police found the crashed vehicle on Monday morning, saying the group had been involved in a collision off the A48 in Cardiff. The car, a white VW Tiguan, was said to be 20 yards from a busy dual carriageway.
Both Gwent Police and South Wales Police have referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, amid criticism the group weren't found sooner. They were last seen early Saturday morning.
Anna Cerowicz told The Sun that her daughter, Sophie, was lying next to the bodies of three friends for 46 hours and was too injured to use her phone, and that police failed to respond when the group did not return from a night out on Friday.
Up to 200 relatives and friends carried out their own search, but the group's vehicle was hidden by trees and was out of sight.
Anna, a mum of three, told The Sun she drove past the crash scene three times, "but I didn’t see her because of the trees and there was a dip".
She continued: “She was lying there wondering if help would ever arrive.
“She must have thought she was going to die. She was calling out at times but no one could hear her.
“It would have got light and then dark as night fell on Saturday, then she had to go through that again until she was found.”
Sophie was drifting in and out of consciousness with a bleed on the brain, so Anna thinks she “may not have really known what was going on — at least I hope she didn’t.”
Sophie, Darcy and Eve were driven to the Maesglas sports and social club in Newport, South Wales, around 11pm on Friday where they met up with Shane and Rafel.
A Snapchat photo from the night shows Rafel with an arm around Darcy.
According to The Sun, the group left Eve’s car to travel 36 miles in the VW to the Trecco Bay caravan park in Porthcawl, where Shane’s family have a caravan. The group are said to have got into an altercation at the site and the group, along with another man, drove off.
The unnamed man was then dropped off in Cardiff. The VW was last seen on CCTV in the city around 2am. It crashed on the A48 at St Mellons between Cardiff and Newport.
Anna said she called Gwent Police 20 times over Saturday and Sunday, only to be told Sophie was probably still partying.
Anna said: “I told them that wasn’t Sophie.
“She doesn’t go out on weekend benders. No one could reach her on her mobile on social media which she uses all the time. On Sunday the police told me to stop ringing — they weren’t annoyed, just dismissive.”
Police finally escalated the inquiry, including launching a helicopter search.
Anna said Sophie is currently having surgery.
Eve’s mum Emma was too distraught to speak on Monday, but her sister Sherridan Borg, 23, said in a statement: “I’ve cried, laughed and fought with you every week, but I've never been without you.
“We always said, ‘I got you always’, but now I’m sat here feeling so empty because you’re not here with me anymore.”
On Monday night, Assistant Chief Constable Jason Davies, of South Wales Police, said: “Our thoughts are with the families of all those affected by this tragic incident.
“To ensure independent oversight, South Wales Police has referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, as is usual in these circumstances.” Trecco Bay Holiday Park was approached for comment.
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