Riddoch Highway crash: Second child dies after emu causes three-car pile-up near Nangwarry

A 15-year-old girl from Mount Gambier as died in hospital after suffering critical injuries in a triple pile-up on a rural highway in the border region of South Australia and Victoria.

Emergency services were called to the Riddoch Highway at about 2.40pm on Sunday, October 27, after reports of a three-car crash about five kilometres south of Nangwarry, in southeast South Australia.

South Australia Police (SAPOL) say a black Holden sedan struck an emu, which caused a Toyota station wagon to brake to avoid collision. But a Nissan ute then crashed into the rear of the Toyota.

A five-year-old boy, who was a passenger in the Toyota died at the scene.

A 15-year-old girl was taken to hospital with critical injuries. Tragically, she died in hospital on Monday night.

The children were travelling in the station wagon with their parents Chris and Paula Eykelenburg and their 13-year-old sister, and six-year-old brother . SAPOL said they were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Grieving father Chris, 42, told The Advertiser he and his wife were thankful for community’s support in his family’s time of need.

He said he was “still trying to come to terms with everything” from hospital.

“I thank all the emergency services for their efforts, I can’t fault them for everything they tried to do for us, they were so supportive,” he said.

The children’s mother reportedly flew from Mount Gambier to Adelaide on Tuesday morning and was holding vigil at her daughter’s bedside, 9News reports

The Mount Gambier community has rallied around the family, with tributes pouring in for the children killed in the crash.

Family friend Tara Button starting a GoFundMe for the Eykelenburgs after the tragedy.

Ms Button remembered the Eykelenburg’s five-year-old boy as an “adventurous” kid who was “always playful, happy, always wanting just to talk and have fun”, she told 9News.

She said she felt “hopeless” for her friends after the crash, which only added to the “tough” times the family was going through after Mr Eykelenburg was made redundant a fortnight ago and their house had been damaged in strong winds.

Mr Eykelenburg is an award-winning chef and was head chef at Sorrentos, which went into receivership on October 15, The Advertiser reports.

“My heart personally is bleeding for them all,” Ms Button wrote on the GoFundMe.

“I feel hopeless as a friend and can only do so much for them. I hate asking for money but I need to do something to help them with all the unexpected costs while they heal and grieve.

“All I can do is ask for people to offer their love, healing and if possible a little money just to help. I know anything will be greatly appreciated by them and by myself.”

The campaign has raised $43,913 of a $60,000 target for the family.

Meanwhile, local businesses have launched their own initiatives for the family. Several business owners shared on social media they will place “change tins” at their registers to accept in-person donations for the Eykelenburgs.

Local golf club Blue Lake Golf Links has been inundated with offers to contribute to a dinner and auction as part of a 9-hole Ambrose — “Doing It For The Eykelenburgs” — on November 16th.

The driver of the Nissan ute which rear-ended the family’s car, a 22-year-old male from Worrolong, was not injured but was taken to hospital as a precaution.

Meanwhile, the female driver and sole occupant of the Holden that first struck the emu suffered no injuries.

The Riddoch Highway remained closed after the crash on Monday as Major Crash officers investigated the circumstances surrounding the collision. The highway was reopened just after midnight on Tuesday.

The children’s deaths are the 71st and 72nd on South Australia’s roads this year.