Inquests have been opened into the deaths of the people who were killed in a car crash in Cardiff. All three, along with two others who were injured, had been reported missing and the car had crashed around 46 hours before they were discovered.
Eve Smith, 21, and Darcy Ross, 21, both of Newport, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, of Cardiff, were found dead on March 6 after the Volkswagen Tiguan they had been travelling in was discovered having crashed off the A48 near St Mellons. Sophie Russon, 20, from Newport, and Shane Loughlin, 32, from Cardiff, survived the crash but remain in hospital.
An outpouring of public grief met the news of the deaths of the young people with hundreds of people attending a vigil at the site of the crash near a wooded area. Before the crash was discovered appeals from friends and families were issued after they received no contact from those missing but their worst fears were later confirmed as reality. Both South Wales Police and Gwent Police have both referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct over their respective handlings of the case.
Inquest openings into the deaths of Ms Smith, Ms Ross, and Mr Jeanne were held at Pontypridd Coroners' Court on Friday. The hearing was told the deaths of the three were reported to South Wales Police on March 6 after they had been involved in a road traffic collision which occurred on the A48 offslip in St Mellons, Cardiff. All three were identified the same day by their mothers.
Post-mortem examinations were carried out on Ms Smith, Ms Ross, and Mr Jeanne at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff on March 10 but the pathologist has not provided a provisional cause of death pending further investigations into histology and toxicology. The court heard Mr Jeanne was from Penylan and was born in Llandough while Ms Smith and Ms Ross were both born and lived in Newport.
Coroner David Regan opened inquests into the death of all three but adjourned to enable further inquiries to be made with a date to be fixed for a further hearing. He added: "I extend my condolences to the families."
READ NEXT:
Trafficked man found tending 400-plant cannabis farm to pay off 'debt'
-
Man steals thousands of pounds worth of sunglasses and tools
Dog walker punches teen after asking him for cider and a cigarette
-
'Professional' drug dealer caught with so-called 'punch knife'
- Jury discharged in trial of prison officer accused of raping woman
You can sign up to our regular Crime and Punishment newsletter here while this interactive tool allows you to check the latest crime statistics for your area:
