Perth mums tribute after Jackson Donovan, 6, dies in horror car crash

Posted by Patria Henriques on Thursday, May 16, 2024

The parents of a six-year-old boy injured in an after school car crash have had to turn off their child’s life support.

Jackson Donovan was critically injured when a van being driven by his mother, Kara Donovan and carrying his little sister, Rosie, was rear ended at an intersection of Dixon and Mandurah roads in East Rockingham, Perth.

The impact sent the vehicle into a bus and two more cars.

In a tribute shared on social media, Ms Donovan remembered her son as “the most awesome, fun, hilarious, smart, sweet kid”. Writing about the car crash, she said “everything went white” as the car’s airbags deployed.

“I was so confused until I realised we’d just been hit really hard and all the airbags had deployed around me,” she wrote.

“We were pushed into the traffic and got hit one or two more times which spun the car and then we finally stopped.

“My wrist was sore but I was okay, and I thought, if I’m okay it wasn’t that bad. I called out ‘everyone okay???’

“Rosie started screaming. Jackson was quiet and I was honestly so confused as to why he didn’t answer until I saw him.”

Later speaking to 9 News, Ms Donovan described the silence as an “unbearable moment”.

“We’ve been told he died on impact,” she said.

The child was flown to Perth Children’s Hospital but was unable to be saved. His parents then made the decision to switch off his life support 28 hours later.

The grieving and “devastated” mother of three said her son loved Pokémon, reading and “chicken wrap Happy Meals with frozen coke”.

“He had just won some Uno cards at school and was loving learning the game and teaching Everley (his little sister) so he would always have someone to play with him,” she wrote.

“He was really excited for the new Bluey episodes starting this week.

“We are devastated beyond words. Jackson, we love you so-so much. We are so sorry you couldn’t stay longer with us.”

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As it stands, police have not laid any charges in relation to the incident.

A 64-year-old man was also taken to hospital after crash and has since been released.

Police are currently investigating whether a driver involved in the incident may have suffered a medical episode, and whether that may have played a part in the crash.

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