A WOMAN who caused a crash that killed her six-year-old nephew at East Seaham was more than three times over the limit when she became distracted and looked over her shoulder into the backseat, causing the car to leave the road and hit a power pole.
The woman, 30, from Raymond Terrace, was represented by solicitor Mark Hanlon when she appeared in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death. As part of negotiations between the parties, the DPP withdrew two counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and a charge of high-range drink driving.
The charge of aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in jail.
The woman, who the Newcastle Herald has chosen not to name to avoid identifying the young boy, will appear in Newcastle District Court on April 23 to get a sentence date.
The woman was behind the wheel of a Mazda 3 that was heading north on Newline Road, East Seaham, about 5.50pm on July 21, 2019, when the vehicle left the road, hit a power pole and rolled.
The woman and a three-year-old girl in the rear passenger seat both suffered facial lacerations and were taken to John Hunter Hospital.
A boy, 6, also in the backseat, died at the scene.
An online fundraising campaign raised more than $3000 for the young boy's family. "[The young boy] was beautiful, loving, courageous, cheeky and adventurous," the post on the fundraising page says.
"These characteristics were evident through the happiness he would instill in those around him.
"The family would like you to know that they are beyond grateful for the support and the kind donations that have been made thus far."
Officers from the Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit examined the scene and, after an extensive investigation, the woman was arrested at Raymond Terrace police station on August 6, 2019, and charged with dangerous driving occasioning death and negligent driving occasioning death.
She was granted conditional bail by police, but at her first court appearance investigators charged the woman with the more serious offence of aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death after the results of a blood test revealed she had a blood alcohol reading of 0.153, more than three times over the limit.
According to court documents, upon her arrest the woman "made admissions to the offences".
The woman said she became distracted and looked over her shoulder into the backseat before the car left the road and crashed.
