+34
Saoirse Aylward lost her 31‑week‑old baby Jax when a van forced her car into a collision on the Rosslare to Wexford road. The incident sparked a legal debate on recognising unborn loss as a road traffic death.
Saoirse Aylward was pregnant with Jax when a van crashed into another car and forced it into the path of the car she was travelling in Saoirse Aylward holding a photo of her baby, Jax, who died at 31 weeks as a result of careless driving causing a collision.
Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish TimesJax was a baby boy who died at 31 weeks of pregnancy after his mother, Saoirse Aylward, was the victim of a three-car collision caused by dangerous driving. Aylward said her son was a “real, wanted and loved baby, and his death changed our family forever”, in a statement read at the inquest. The crash took place in January 2024 on the main Rosslare to Wexford road.
Aylward had been travelling in a car with her partner Nathan Ferguson Murphy when a van crashed into another car and forced it into their path.
‘How to beat the bullies’: What will rugby look like heading into the World Cup next year? The van had been driven by a Ukrainian man, Yurii Dudek, who in February was sentenced to six months in jail for careless driving causing serious bodily harm.had initially told Aylward they had recommended the driver face a charge for harm to her and a separate charge for the harm to Jax, but theAylward said “one of the hardest things” was that her baby son’s death was not officially recognised as a road traffic death.
Thein March to recognise in law for the first time a baby in the womb over 23 weeks that is lost as a result of careless or dangerous driving. It is due to be discussed “very shortly”, the inquest heard. Coroner Fiona Reynolds conveyed the results of the postmortem examination which concluded the baby died by a combination of blunt-force trauma and the rupturing of the placenta.
Some bruising was also present on the baby’s body, which was found to be otherwise healthy with no foetal abnormalities. Upon delivery, the baby did not begin breathing himself and CPR was administered, but was unsuccessful and the baby the pronounced dead.
“I never wanted Jax to become a campaign. I wanted my son. But if I have to use my voice to make sure that what happened to Jax does not happen to another family without recognition, then I will continue to do that,” Aylward’s statement stated.
“Jax mattered. His life mattered. His death mattered. And I want the record to show that he was here, that he was loved and that he was a victim of a road traffic collision.
” She reiterated her desire for every unborn baby who dies as a result of a road traffic collision to be recorded in official data.
“If unborn babies who die in collisions are not recorded, then we cannot know the true human cost of road traffic collisions in Ireland,” she added. Woman dies from injuries from crash in Co Limerick two weeks agoMOST READRory McIlroy says Donald Trump’s presence at Irish Open ‘can only be a good thing’Capturing the confusion of the aftermath of 9/11 on cameraEddie Dunbar powers to Vuelta stage 19 victory
Traffic Accident Unborn Child Loss Legal Reform Irish Road Safety Premature Infant
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Back‑to‑School Budgeting: Morning Routines That Cut CostsA mother shares how planning the week, a dedicated breakfast station, and batch‑prepping lunches help keep family mornings calm and spending under control during the school term.
Read more »
Saoirse Ronan on directing her first short film: 'I don't know where I'm going'Saoirse Ronan, the Oscar-nominated actress, has premiered her directorial debut, Paper Plane, at the Venice Film Festival. The short film, which is competing for the Orizzonti Award, follows a young girl who sends a message via a paper plane to her mother, asking her to remove her abusive father from the home. Ronan's film is notable for its sensitive portrayal of family dynamics and its distinct visual style, shot by renowned cinematographer Kate McCullough.
Read more »
Minister’s update on public transport security force at odds with Tallaght councillor’s view‘We have been hearing about a public transport police as long as I have been around,’ said Niamh Whelan
Read more »