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9 months ago
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A YOUNG girl was tragically killed in a horror crash on the way to see Taylor Swift’s concert.
The 16-year-old was in a car with her mother and a younger sister, 10, when the vehicle collided with an oncoming truck.
www.9news.com.au
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www.9news.com.au
EPAThe deadly accident happened just 18 miles north-east of Dubbo, Australia on Thursday.
Mieka Pokarier died at the scene while her sister, Freya Pokarier, has sustained severe injuries and was airlifted to Westmead Hospital.
She remains in a critical condition and was induced in a coma.
The girls’ mother, Kim Litchfield, was driving her daughters to Melbourne in their SUV to attend Taylor Swift‘s concert.
The pop star kicked off the Australian leg of her world tour on Friday with 96,000 fans in attendance.
The journey was supposed to be their “trip of a lifetime” as they planned to see Swift in both Melbourne and Sydney.
But the tragedy cut their trip short when they collided head-on with the semi-trailer.
Mieka was sitting at the passenger seat while her sister sat in the back seat when the crash occurred.
Mieka’s iPad has survived the journey unmarked, and revealed that the excited teenager was listening to Swift’s “All of the Girls You Loved Before” when the horror struck.
Mieka tragically passed away with her sister sustaining serious injuries.
The girls’ mother was treated by paramedics, and both drivers have suffered minor injuries and were taken to Dubbo Hospital.
Meanwhile, Freya is fighting for her life with her father and older sister – who had flown from the Gold Coast – by her bedside.
The young girl suffered brain injuries, damaged pelvis, and a broken leg, according to the sisters’ godmother, Karleigh Fox.
She said: “We are keeping our girl in an induced coma for a few more days in order to give her body a chance to stay still and hopefully recover as much as possible.
“We are playing her favourite Taylor Swift album, 1989 (Taylor’s Version), on repeat in her room and telling her about the merch we are seeing people buying online.”
Mieka and Freya’s father, Peter Pokarier, has shared his grief in a Facebook post.
He wrote: “That’s my baby that died”.
The bereaved father also shared a fundraiser for the family which reached more than £10,000 in 24 hours.
Following the heartbreaking news, tributes from friends have poured in on social media.
Cheyenne Craige wrote: “Mieka, oh what a beacon of light you were.
“I never thought I’d have to imagine going to your house and you not being fast asleep in your bed or having to tell you to hurry up or we’re leaving you behind.
“You deserved to live for so many more years but unfortunately you were taken way too early.
“I love you Mieka, come back soon please. I miss you now, and forever.”
Mieka and Freya both had been members of the Gold Coast Youth Theatre Academy.
The Academy owners posted their condolences on Facebook, saying: “This one is very special and important to us. All 4 children in this family have been students of Kellie’s at one time or another.
“Mum and daughters off on a trip of their lifetime to see their idol Tay Tay, only to have their lives turned upside down in the blink of an eye.
“Our hearts our [sic] hurting today so we cannot imagine how this family is feeling.”
Another friend, Simone Medland, said she regrets she won’t be able to fulfil all of their future plans together.
She wrote: “Thank you for those nights we stayed up talking about everything, watching movies, dancing and playing Roblox together till 4am, thank you for being my best friend.
“I love our little friendship making all those corny TikToks for each other, writing each other letters, having silly little inside jokes that were never funny but made us laugh so hard.”
The police has launched an investigation into the details of the incident.
9News
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