A pregnant woman has tragically lost her baby after a car involved in a police pursuit crashed into the vehicle she was travelling in, in South London. The incident occurred on Lewisham Way, New Cross, at approximately 11.30pm on Saturday, June 13.
The police had been following a vehicle with suspected cloned number plates, which failed to stop. The pursued vehicle then collided with another car driven by a man in his 20s, who was accompanied by his heavily pregnant partner, also in her 20s.
The male driver of the second car sustained injuries that were neither life-threatening nor life-changing and was treated at the scene. Paramedics rushed the pregnant woman to hospital, but despite medical efforts, her baby did not survive. She remains hospitalised and is in a stable condition.
A 29-year-old man, identified as 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 also treated in hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening or life-changing.
The Metropolitan Police is continuing to investigate the circumstances leading to the crash. A referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), as is standard procedure whenever a death or serious injury follows a police pursuit.
Detective Inspector Suzanne Quinton, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Our thoughts are with the mother and father involved, and their family following the tragic loss of their child. Our investigation continues. We would ask anyone with information or footage that could help to please come forward.”
Anyone with information or dashcam footage is urged to call 101, quoting CAD 8670/13JUN.
