Teen dies after ‘airbag smacks her within the face’ as she ‘reached for cellphone throughout crash’
Kelly Caruana, 18, was a passenger in a Renault Clio when the driver lost control and crashed into a barrier. Reports suggest an airbag struck her face as she reached for her phone
Kelly Caruana, 18, was travelling as a passenger in a Renault Clio when the 20-year-old driver lost control(Image: Jam Press)
A teenage dancer tragically lost her life after an airbag reportedly hit her in the face while she was reaching under a car seat to grab her mobile phone during a crash.
Kelly Caruana, 18, was travelling as a passenger in a Renault Clio when the 20-year-old driver lost control and smashed into a barrier. She was taken to hospital with severe injuries, but her condition kept getting worse.
Kelly passed away nine days following the crash, according to NeedToKnow. Details gathered by Malta’s national broadcaster TVMnews suggested that she had leaned down to collect her phone from underneath the seat when the collision occurred.
Kelly passed away nine days following the crash(Image: Jam Press)
The broadcaster stated that it was the force of the airbag inflating into her face, rather than the impact with the barrier, that led to her fatal injuries.
Kelly, from Paola, Malta, was a performer with Lookstar Dancers Tarxien and had also participated in the nation’s renowned Carnival festivities. She was laid to rest on Saturday (September 5) as heartbroken family and friends came together for her final farewell.
Her relatives asked mourners to steer clear of dark colours and instead don white shirts or T-shirts paired with blue jeans. They also requested that only white flowers be sent.
Reports suggest she had leaned down to collect her phone from underneath the seat when the collision occurred(Image: Jam Press)
Meagan Caruana wrote in a public post: “We emphasise this because Kelly was pure, gentle and beautiful, just like an angel. We imagine Heaven as a place filled with light and white, and we want her final farewell to reflect that purity and the beautiful soul she was.
“Let us surround her with white, light and love, as we say goodbye to our precious princess. Fly high, Kelly. You will forever be loved, forever missed, and forever our little princess.”
Her childhood mate Maya X Shay said she was battling to come to terms with having bid farewell to Kelly for the last time. She penned: “I wish I could have one more conversation with you, one more laugh, one more moment.
Officers said the motorist, a bloke from Birkirkara, sustained serious injuries after losing command of the vehicle(Image: Jam Press)
“Today I had to say goodbye, but I know I’ll never forget you. Thank you for being a part of my life and for leaving me with memories that I’ll treasure forever.”
Għaqda Kultura u Armar Marija Annunzjata Tarxien, a local cultural organisation, also extended sympathies to Kelly’s relatives. It recalled her as a performer from a young age with Lookstar Dancers and other Carnival dance troupes.
The smash occurred at roughly 8.15pm on August 21 in Triq tal-Bajjada, Qormi. Officers said the motorist, a bloke from Birkirkara, sustained serious injuries after losing command of the vehicle.
Both passengers received medical care at the scene before being transported to Mater Dei Hospital by ambulance. Kelly was pronounced dead late on August 29.
Authorities have not publicly verified the account involving Kelly’s phone and the airbag, and no final post-mortem cause of death has been disclosed.
Magistrate Joe Mifsud has launched an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the collision, while police investigations continue.
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