A 29-year-old man has been charged after a police pursuit in south London led to a crash that killed an unborn baby and left its mother in hospital. The incident occurred on Lewisham Way, New Cross, at around 11.30pm on Saturday, June 13.
Police attempted to stop a vehicle with suspected cloned number plates, but it failed to pull over. The pursued car then collided with another vehicle being driven by a man in his 20s, who was accompanying his heavily pregnant partner, also in her 20s.
The male driver of the second car suffered injuries that were not life-threatening or life-changing. The pregnant woman was taken to hospital, where despite medical efforts, her baby died. She remains in a stable condition.
The driver of the suspect vehicle was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, theft of a motor vehicle, failure to stop, and possession of class A drugs. He was treated in hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
The Metropolitan Police has referred the case to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), as is standard procedure when a death or serious injury follows a police pursuit. Detective Inspector Suzanne Quinton said: “Our thoughts are with the mother and father involved, and their family following the tragic loss of their child.”
Police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to call 101 quoting CAD 8670/13JUN.
