A shocking police error saw a teenage boy's family told he had died in a horrific car crash, only to discover days later that he was alive in hospital after waking from a coma and revealing his identity.
The Tragic Crash and Initial Confusion
South Yorkshire Police informed the family of 17-year-old Trevor Wynn, known as TJ, that he had been killed in a collision in Rotherham shortly before 3am on December 13. The crash, involving a silver Toyota Corolla that left the carriageway near Dinnington, was believed to have claimed the lives of Trevor and a 17-year-old girl who was driving.
Tributes poured in online for Trevor, and a fundraising page was set up to support his grieving family, raising hundreds of pounds. Funeral arrangements were made, with a service planned at St Anne's Church in his hometown of Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
The Astonishing Revelation
The devastating mistake came to light in the early hours of Monday, December 5, when the boy believed to be sedated in hospital regained consciousness. According to family friend Jonathan Stoner, 31, doctors asked the patient his name and date of birth.
"It all came to light when Trevor came out of a coma," Stoner said. "That's when he told them his full name and date of birth." Police then collected Trevor's mother, Charlotte, and took her to the hospital, where she confirmed her son was, in fact, alive.
The true victim of the crash was identified as 18-year-old Joshua Johnson. It is believed Joshua's funeral had been planned for the previous Friday. The police force stated that new information emerged on Sunday, December 4, prompting further formal identification processes, including forensic tests.
Community Shock and Official Response
The mix-up has caused profound trauma for both families. One social media user, reacting to the news, wrote: "Can't get my head around this. My poor family was laying him to rest on Friday, so glad [he's] alive." Another asked: "How can they get something so terribly wrong?"
Assistant Chief Constable Colin McFarlane acknowledged the immense shock and additional trauma caused. "We are supporting Trevor and all the families through this," he said, adding that the force had referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to scrutinise the identification procedures followed after the crash.
An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, and a 19-year-old was arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. Both remain on bail.
Aftermath and Ongoing Support
Trevor, a student at North Notts College, is now recovering and receiving specialist support. The GoFundMe page, which had reached over £1,000 in donations intended for his funeral, will now be used to help with rehabilitation costs.
Jonathan Stoner, who held a charity boxing event to raise funds, also expressed his condolences to Joshua Johnson's family. He highlighted the wider community impact, noting: "Parents who have told their kids that Trevor was dead are now going to have to tell them otherwise which is brutal."
South Yorkshire Police has committed to a full investigation to understand how the catastrophic error occurred and to ensure it is never repeated.
