Heartbroken son pays tribute to ‘beautiful’ mum-of-10 killed in France car crash horror
The first photo of a British mum-of-10 killed in a horror crash[1] in France has emerged as her son released a heartbreaking tribute.
Miriam Posen, 50, from North London, was on the A26 motorway, south of Lens, with six members of her family when they were involved in a three-way smash around 6pm on Sunday.
Her son Izzy said his mum was "full of the spirit of life" in a post on social media. He wrote: "She was young and healthy and full of the spirit of life. I loved her so much." He shared a photo on Instagram[2] in 2017 along with his mum, with the caption reading: "With my beautiful mother and sister."
Miriam's husband Rabbi Shalom Pinchos Posen, 48, and two daughters, 19 and 16, were injured in the crash and taken to hospital. Mourners gathered outside the family home close to Woodberry Wetlands Nature Reserve today.
In a statement, the family said: "Miriam was a devoted mother who was loved so much by her family and friends. She was a very special person who will be greatly missed by all who knew her."
Major health update on Brit family hurt in horror France crash that killed mum-of-10[3]
The scene on the A26, south of Lens, on Sunday evening (
La Voix du Nord)
It is reported the vehicle she was travelling in was hit head-on after another car swerved in front of it between the towns of Neuville-Saint-Vaast and Thélus. Dozens of firefighters and two helicopters were among those responding at the scene.
An emergency services source said Miriam's family involved in the crash were "recovering well". They added: "All were travelling in a minivan when the accident happened, and three were rushed to intensive care. Some of these lives were considered to be in danger at first, but this is no longer the case – they are all out of intensive care."
The source said Miriam's 19-year-old daughter is the most severely injured and remains in hospital in Cambrai. Another 16-year-old daughter, and Mr Posen, were originally in intensive care too, while three children aged 13, 11 and eight had injuries which were not considered life-threatening.
There were four people in a second vehicle, including an unidentified 75-year-old woman and a 45-year-old man, both of whom died after suffering cardiac arrests. The other two passengers in the second car – a 14-year-old boy and a 79-year-old man – remain in a hospital in Lille, after being transported there by helicopter.
A third car involved was being driven by a woman in her 30s, but she suffered only light injuries, along with three children aged six, eight and nine.
A spokesman for the Arras prosecutor's office, which is investigating the crash, said alcohol and toxicology tests had been performed, without revealing any results.
He said it was "way too early" to say exactly what caused the accident, and that "numerous witnesses" were being spoken to. The accident happened in good light, when the driver of one of the vehicles is thought to have lost control and passed on to the opposite carriageway, hitting another vehicle head-on.
References
- ^ British mum-of-10 killed in a horror crash (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Instagram (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Major health update on Brit family hurt in horror France crash that killed mum-of-10 (www.mirror.co.uk)