Mum's mystery journey that tragically killed her and her four kids
Family and friends are still baffled as to where Charmaine Harris McLeod was heading during a highway crash, which killed the mum and her four children.
Charmaine, 35, was trying to overtake on the Bunya Highway on Monday night, 27 May, when she plummeted into a truck, causing the car to blow up into flames.
The horrifying accident killed Ms McLeod and her four children: Aaleyn (Ally), 6, Matilda, 5, Wyatt, 4, and Zaidok, 2.
Ms McLeod and three of her children died instantly, while one of the girls was pulled from the flaming car and taken to Kingaroy Hospital in critical condition.
Sadly, she later died on a rescue flight to Queensland Children’s Hospital.
The driver of the truck that was caught in the collision escaped and tried to free the family from the burning car, but was unable to retrieve them.
He was taken to hospital for his burn injuries.
James McLeod, the husband of Charmaine and father of the children, admitted to the Daily Mail Australia that neither he, nor any friends or family knew where the mum was driving to.
James, who had split from Charmaine but still regularly saw the children, also told The Courier Mail about the last time he saw the kids, as it was the first time little Zaidok had told him he loved him.
‘The last supervised visitation I had with them, not last Saturday but the Saturday beforehand, he actually said that he loves me, daddy, to me. Just out of the blue,’ James said.
He also called his children ‘beautiful souls.’
Friends paid their tributes online to the family from Eli Waters, Hervey Bay.
One woman wrote, ‘You were always there for me when I needed a friend.’
Kawungan State School, where two of the children attended, issued a statement on Facebook that read:
‘We extend our sincere sympathies to their family, friends and loved ones at a difficult time. Aaelyn and Matilda will be deeply missed.’
