A tiny coastal town in New South Wales is reeling in shock after a young mother and her two-year-old daughter were killed in a horror car crash.
Jendaya Stewart, 26, and her daughter Lillyannah were tragically killed when their car smashed into a tree and burst into flames on Hat Head Road in the mid-north coast town of Hat Head on July 10.
Bystanders who rushed to the scene claimed there was “no possible way” to save them, with one local woman posting on social media that a friend tried to rescue those inside but was unable to do so before the car went up in flames.
A loving mother and her ‘beloved, adored and protected’ daughter
Ms Stewart, affectionately known as ‘Jen’ or ‘Jenny’, was a proud Biripi and Thunggutti woman who had a passion for conservation and had worked with National Parks Conservation Association, The Green Army, and as an agricultural farm assistant at Orara High School over the years.
She was remembered by her family as a “loving mother” and “beloved daughter”, with a funeral service to be held in Coffs Harbour on August 2.
A tragic loss felt by the community
The small Hat Head community of 365 people expressed an outpouring of sympathy on social media following news of the crash, with one admin writing on a community Facebook page: “The HHC Admin Team’s deepest sympathies go to those in the car, and their friends and family.”
Federal MP for the region Pat Conaghan also shared the “tragic news” on social media, saying: “My thoughts go to family and friends who are dealing with this unimaginable event.”
Police are investigating the cause of the crash, with a report to be prepared for the coroner.