A mother has shared the heartbreaking final words she exchanged with her daughter moments before a fatal car crash. Claudia Forden, 22, died in a collision caused by Jack Caddick, who was speeding at 63mph in a 30mph zone in Great Crosby, Merseyside, on August 28, 2021.
Claudia's mother, Michelle Forden, told Liverpool Crown Court that she was on the phone with her daughter just 60 seconds before the crash. The call had poor signal, and Michelle said, 'We told her we loved her and I buttoned the call.' She later sent a text saying 'have fun and stay safe,' but it was never opened.
Michelle expressed her anguish, saying, 'We never got to see her again after we returned from our holiday. I never got to say goodbye. She died alone. I had already given her my last hug, I would never have let go if I had known.'
Caddick, 27, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for eight years on October 2, 2023. The court heard that his Mercedes crossed onto the wrong side of the road and collided with a Honda CRV. Another passenger, a 60-year-old man, suffered serious injuries.
Detective Sergeant Andy Roper of Merseyside Police said, 'Although no sentence can repair the devastation of what happened, we hope it does at least provide some comfort as her family and friends continue to come to terms with the heartbreaking loss.'
