Camping trip crash teen wanted to follow in footsteps of mum by opening a bakery
One of the teenagers found dead with three pals after their car crashed[1] during a camping trip aspired to open his own bakery like his mum, it is claimed. Harvey Owen, 17, went missing along with friends Jevon Hirst, 16, Wilf Henderson, 17 and Hugo Morris, after they drove from Shrewsbury, Shropshire, on Saturday and planned to camp in Snowdonia National Park on Sunday. However, a major police search was launched after they failed to return home on Monday.
Their Ford Fiesta was found on its roof and partially submerged in water in a ditch near the village of Garreg on Tuesday morning. They had stopped replying to WhatsApp[2] messages around midday on Sunday. Tributes have flooded in for the four boys, who were A-Level students at Shrewsbury College.
Harvey’s former boss and colleagues were among those to pay tribute and said he had dreams of following in the footsteps of his mum, who runs a cupcake shop in Shrewsbury. He worked part-time at Dough and Oil, a pizza restaurant in the town, while also studying. Today colleagues released a picture of the tragic teen, taken a couple of weeks before his death, with a tribute to the “hardworking and humble” student who they all had “soft spot” for.
Harvey worked part time in a pizzeria while studying for his A-Levels (WALES NEWS SERVICE)
Harvey Owen’s mom said she was unaware her son was going on a camping trip (Media Wales)
Harvey had started working there as a pot washer before “earning his stripes” and moving into the kitchen. “Before shifts or on his break you’d often find him listening to music or his head in a book – usually for his age enjoying the likes of The Doors and Jack Kerouac, always keen to chat and discover something new,” they added.
Several bouquets of flowers and tributes have been left alongside a photograph and candle at the memorial in Garreg, close to where the road was closed by police. It is understood the car could not be seen in the ditch from the road and as revealed by the Mirror, it was a passing bin lorry driver who spotted it from his raised cab.
Jevon Hirst (WALES NEWS SERVICE)
Hugo Morris (Media Wales)
In an updated statement, superintendent Owain Llewellyn said: “As part of our investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the four young teenagers in the Garreg area we are continuing to carry out a detailed search of the area where the car was found. “As a result the A4058 will remain closed until we are satisfied all related property has been recovered.
Our thoughts remain with the families at this extremely difficult time and I would like to thank the public for their continued patience and understanding.”
Wilf Henderson (WALES NEWS SERVICE)
Harvey’s mum, Crystal Owen issued a heartbreaking statement, saying “nothing will make this nightmare go away”, after learning of her son’s death. She said in the Facebook[3] post earlier today: “I feel like I’m in a nightmare I wish I could wake up from but I’m not. I just wanted to say I do appreciate people’s kindness but no amount of messages is going to help me overcome this.
Nothing will make this nightmare go away.”
She had driven to Snowdonia during the search and told reporters she did not know Harvey was going camping and if she’d known she would have warned him off “due to the winter weather[4] conditions”.