The devastated mum of a 20-year-old girl who was trapped in a car crash for almost two days has slammed police who allegedly told her to 'stop calling' for taking nearly 46 hours to find her daughter.
On Monday, police discovered Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 21 and Rafel Jeanne, 24 dead inside a Volkswagen Tiguan while Sophie Russon and Shane Loughlin, 32 survived but remain in a critical condition. All five were last seen travelling in the vehicle in the early hours of Saturday after a night out when the car came off the A48(M) in Cardiff and crashed into trees, the Mirror reports.
The girls had been in Newport earlier in the night and were reported missing to Gwent Police but the force told Sophie's concerned mother, Anna Certowicz that they were 'probably out partying'.
The mum-of-three has now revealed how she desperately drove around South Wales searching for Sophie and her daughter's friends after she was forced to take the investigation into her own hands. She is now demanding answers as to why it took police so long to find the wreckage and has slammed them for not starting a search as soon as they were reported missing.
She told the Daily Mail: "It's too awful to imagine what she went through trapped in the car in the dark until it got light and then dark again over two days. Sophie was lying there for all that time, they could all have been found much quicker if the police had started searching straight away."
She claims she first phoned Gwent Police at noon on Saturday and made a total of 10 calls that day but she was dismissed. She said the force only put out its own public appeal the following day, shortly after 11pm on Sunday.
Ms Russon, a bank worker, spent two days trapped inside the car where her two friends lay dead beside her. She is now in a critical but stable condition in hospital after suffering a bleed on the brain and fractures to her neck, spine and face.
South Wales Police (SWP) said on Monday evening that their investigation into the incident is continuing as they confirmed the names of the victims. Both SWP and neighbouring force Gwent Police, who were leading the missing persons investigation prior to the discovery of the car, said they have referred themselves to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) 'in line with normal procedure'.
An IOPC spokesman said: "We can confirm that Gwent Police have advised us that they are making a referral in connection with this tragic incident and we will carry out an assessment in due course to determine what further action may be required from us." The tragic discovery was made shortly after midnight in the St Mellons area of the capital and it is understood a helicopter involved in the search found the car.
Investigating officers believe the vehicle was involved in a road traffic collision and came off the A48(M) but it is not clear exactly when that happened. The road had been closed in both directions, near to the Cardiff Garden Centre, by the police.
Photographs from the scene show large green fencing and tarpaulin has been erected around the crash site, which is among trees. Floral tributes have been left by mourners as one wrote: "Fly high. You're in a better place now.
"This was a last thing we expected. I know you're still partying up there. Have one for me LOL."
Ms Smith's sister paid tribute to her in a post on Facebook, writing: "My beautiful little sister I've cried laughed and fought with you every week, but I've never been without you. We always said, 'I got you always' but now I'm sat here feeling so empty because you're not here with me anymore, and I can't accept this.
"I know you're safe up with there with our beautiful sister Xana but I was never ready to let you go, my body is aching without you." Eve's older sister Xana was tragically killed in a drug driving collision eight years ago.
A friend of Miss Ross and Miss Smith wrote: "I don't really have the words right now. Darcy Ross I'm going to miss you little gypsy girl.
"You were one of a kind, I'm going to miss trying to 'life coach' you as you would've said. You were a real ray of sunshine especially on my bad days.
"Eve Smith you were truly a beautiful young girl, who's heart was made of gold just like your sister's, give her a big hug for me and hold each other tight until the day we all have our turn and reunite." A friend of Mr Loughlin posted: "I'm so proud of us all pulling together out there searching for our dear friends last night.
"It's heart breaking what's happened to Rafel Jeanne and those two girls. My body is still shaking and I can't stop being sick the thought of them all there all of that time.
"Many times I have driven past, it just makes me so sad and to how helpless our Shane Loughlin must of felt trapped inside. Wish Sophie a speedy recovery and I send all my love and strength to all the families involved."
Speaking at the scene, a friend of the three girls claimed it was a public search party who found them and not the police. Tamzin Samuels, 20, said: "I do think the police could have done a lot more in putting the helicopters out earlier.
"They only posted the appeal an hour before the girls were found. We found them before the police found them - we rang the police.
"The search party found the girls before the police found the girls. I think that speaks volumes really, they had all that equipment, and we had cars when we were looking.
"They were really popular girls, the life of the party, and it was really out of character for them to do what they did, which is why we knew something was wrong."
Paying tribute to her dear friends, she said: "They were the life of the party. Darcy was known as a wild child, loved life and lived life to the fullest and she didn't care what anyone thought about her. She was great.
"Eve had a smile that could brighten a room as soon as she walked in. A real feisty, independent girl, but everyone loved her just as much.
"I didn't really know the boys and one of our friends who is recovering, we just really hope for her on the road to recovery."
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