A devastating car collision in Perth’s southeastern suburb of Canning Vale has ended in criminal charges for a local mother, after the crash claimed the life of her 4-year-old daughter and left her 8-year-old son seriously injured. The incident, which unfolded just after 3 p.m. on June 3, has sparked an outpouring of public grief from both Australian and Irish communities, after the family recently relocated to Perth to build a new life.
Major Crash investigators from Western Australia Police confirmed this week that 33-year-old Saoirse Wynne, a resident of Southern River, faces four separate criminal charges in connection with the crash. Official accident reports outline that Wynne was operating a grey Holden Astra traveling east along Boardman Road when her vehicle collided with an orange Ford Mustang heading north on Garden Street, the main intersecting roadway at the site. All three occupants of the Astra — Wynne and her two young children — were extracted from the wreckage and rushed immediately to nearby hospitals for emergency care. Despite rapid medical intervention, 4-year-old Layna Leavy succumbed to her injuries in hospital care.
The charges brought against Wynne go beyond the core dangerous driving count, revealing multiple regulatory failures on the day of the crash. Investigators confirmed the charges include: careless driving causing death, careless driving causing grievous bodily harm, failure to secure a child passenger aged between 4 and 7 in an approved child safety restraint, and driving without a valid license — as Wynne never obtained a driving authorization in Australia. Wynne is scheduled to make her first court appearance at Armadale Magistrates Court on September 29.
In the wake of Layna’s death, community members launched a GoFundMe campaign to support the grieving family, covering funeral expenses and lost income while Wynne and her relatives take time off work to mourn. As of the latest update, the campaign has raised more than $100,000 in donations from hundreds of supporters.
A family member shared a tribute on the fundraising page, noting the family had relocated from Ireland to Perth earlier in 2024, chasing a fresh start in Australia. “In less than four short years, Layna had already woven herself into the hearts of so many, here in Australia, and across the community they had left behind in Ireland,” the statement read. “The flowers, teddy bears, and dolls placed at the crash site by friends and strangers demonstrate the mark this little girl made on the world in just four short years. The outpouring of love from the local Perth community and from Ireland is a testament of the impact this little girl had on so many lives and a reminder that Layna was, and always will be, deeply loved.”
Local residents have continued to leave small tributes at the intersection where the crash occurred, with many describing the 4-year-old’s death as a heartbreaking tragedy for the newly relocated family.