Published Saturday, 07 July 2012
A 2 year-old has been killed in a road crash in Devon, England (© UTV)
Police revealed the details as the Irish couple continue to fight for their lives in hospital, after two cars collided head-on in Torquay on Friday afternoon.
They remain in a critical condition.
A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said the 36-year-old mother and 39-year-old father, who were on holiday in England, have undergone operations.
He said: "The male driver remains in intensive care in Derriford Hospital, Plymouth and in a critical condition having undergone surgery.
"The 36-year-old woman, who was a front seat passenger, was initially conveyed to Torbay Hospital but later transferred by land ambulance to Derriford Hospital where she remains in a critical condition.
"The female casualty was pregnant and an operation was carried out to save the unborn child. However, the child did not survive."
The Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin have said they are providing consular assistance to the family following the incident which local police described as "extremely traumatic".
Paul Netherton of Devon and Cornwall Police said: "This was an extremely traumatic incident where emergency services were working on the family at the scene and subsequently in ambulances and at the hospital and has been traumatic on all those involved.
"It was a head-on collision at speed. The black Vectra was coming down the hill and appears to have swerved into the path of the oncoming car.
"The members of the family are in a critical life-threatening condition in Derriford and Torbay hospitals.
"We are trying to identify their next of kin in southern Ireland to inform them, and the next of kin for the gentleman who has died have been informed and our thoughts are obviously with the families involved at this time.
"The road does remain closed and there is an ongoing investigation and recovery of all the forensic material in the vehicles etc, which will be going on all night."
Mr Netherton added that the incident was witnessed by a police officer at the scene and has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission as a matter of course.
The officer's police car had not been pursuing the vehicles.