South Yorkshire Police has issued a profound apology after admitting it mistakenly informed a family their teenage son had died in a serious road collision, when he was in fact alive in hospital.
A Tragic Case of Mistaken Identity
The serious incident occurred on Todwick Road in Rotherham on 13 December. Following the crash, police believed that Trevor Wynn, 17, and a girl of the same age had lost their lives. They informed Mr Wynn's family of his tragic death.
At the same time, it was thought that Joshua Johnson, 18, was seriously injured but alive and under sedation in hospital. However, this week, the force revealed this information was catastrophically incorrect.
Forensic Checks Reveal the Truth
On Sunday, 5 January 2026, concerns were raised about the identities of those involved, prompting South Yorkshire Police to conduct urgent further checks. These included forensic testing after new information came to light.
The results confirmed a devastating reversal of the initial understanding. Trevor Wynn was the badly injured youth receiving treatment in hospital, while Joshua Johnson was the person who had died.
Assistant Chief Constable Colin McFarlane stated the correction came as "a huge shock to everyone, and we recognise the additional trauma this may cause."
Investigation and Support for Families
The police force has taken the significant step of referring itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). ACC McFarlane confirmed the force's commitment to a full investigation, stating: "We are absolutely committed to understanding how this happened so it cannot happen again."
Specialist support services are being offered to the families of both teenagers. "We are supporting Trevor and all the families through this and have engaged specialist agencies to help provide that support," ACC McFarlane added.
In connection with the fatal collision, an 18-year-old was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. A 19-year-old was held on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. Both have been released on bail pending further inquiries.
In a final statement, South Yorkshire Police said: "All of those involved have asked that we thank the public for their support but ask that they are now left in peace to process the future they now face."
