A police watchdog said it was “clear something has gone very wrong” after police misidentified two teenagers involved in a crash and told the wrong family that one had died.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct said the mistake had had “awful consequences” for the two families as it confirmed an investigation had started.
Joshua Johnson, 18, died following a collision on Todwick Road, Rotherham, on December 13.
South Yorkshire Police (SYP) initially identified Trevor Wynn, 17, as the male who had died and informed his family.
Joshua Johnson was thought to be the identity of another injured person who was under sedation in hospital.
But, on Sunday, “information came to light” which led to further checks taking place and tests confirmed that Mr Wynn was the youth in hospital receiving treatment and Mr Johnson was the person who died, police said.
A 17-year-old girl also died in the crash.
On Thursday, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it had begun an investigation into the circumstances around the misidentification.
The watchdog said it was informed by South Yorkshire Police on Tuesday that initially police had incorrectly informed the family of the 17-year-old boy that he had died, and told the family of Joshua Johnson he was sedated in hospital.
A spokesperson added: “We have now begun an independent investigation, which will look at the actions and decision-making of police involved in the identification process.”
IOPC director Emily Barry said: “My sincere condolences and thoughts go out to all those involved. It’s hard to imagine what these families have been through in the past few weeks.
“It is clear something has gone very wrong with awful consequences for them.
“We understand the concern about this incident and it is vital that we carry out a thorough investigation, independently of the police, to establish exactly how and why this happened.
“We will carefully examine the circumstances regarding the identification of individuals following the collision, including what policies and procedures were in place, and whether they were followed appropriately, to determine the facts and identify any learning arising from this tragic situation.”
