During Kemp’s pre-sentence hearing on Wednesday, two families expressed their sorrow, causing the courtroom in Shepparton to fill with tears.
Two children’s bedrooms have remained immobile for almost a year.
Savannah, a little girl whose aunt was involved in a “horrendous” crash that killed her and ruined two families, sleeps at the foot of her bed with her unopened Christmas presents.
For almost a year, Remi’s parents have kept the door to his nursery locked, expressing their grief at the loss of their unborn child.
The death of Remi was caused by a collision between Chrystle Olivia Kemp’s Landcruiser and her automobile.
Remi’s mother was 34 weeks pregnant at the time of the tragedy.
At today’s pre-sentence hearing for Kemp, two families broke down in tears as they shared their stories of pain in a Shepparton courthouse.
“The feeling of loss is so great, it is visceral,” Savannah’s mother Byrana Kemp said in a statement given to the courtroom.
Even though Savannah’s scent has faded, the bed linens she slept on are still there.
“It is as if time has frozen in her room, a painful reminder of the absence, the thought of moving or getting rid of anything feels like erasing her memory.”
On October 20, 2023, in Shepparton East, Victoria, Kemp, 27, pleaded guilty to two charges: one for dangerous driving causing death, which was related to her niece’s death, and another for seriously injuring Elodie Aldridge, who was heavily pregnant, in the same incident.
In the middle of the day, Kemp secretly picked up Savannah from kindergarten and drove her to Dookie.
Savannah’s sister had no idea. The little girl, who was riding shotgun in the backseat, was simply secured in a lap sash belt and not a booster seat.
Kemp ran a stop sign, collided with two other cars, and missed the intersection of Old Dookie and Boundary roads by three and a half seconds.
He then applied the brakes. Tragically, Savannah was killed on the spot due to injuries to her chest, legs, and neck.
The “horrific” incident was a haze in Kemp’s memory, according to his lawyer Paul Smallwood.
According to Savannah’s mom, her sister has never apologized or accepted responsibility for her daughter’s death, so she will never forgive her.
That Savannah died under “horrendous circumstances” was the message delivered by Byrana Kemp.
I feel that Chrystle disregarded my parental authority, and this has led to a severe split between us and my extended family.
Life took an unexpected turn for Mrs. Aldridge as she drove home from a checkup where a nurse informed her that she was expecting a healthy baby boy.
She gave birth to Remi while still inside her car after being stuck and being airlifted to the Alfred with hip injuries.
“It has been a year and I still can’t see a pram or child without feeling my heart break a little more,” Mrs. Aldridge told the court, her voice tinged with despair.
“I know this accident wasn’t my fault, but I can’t help feeling guilty, the guilt of surviving when my son didn’t.”
According to Judge Geoffrey Chettle, it was evident that the two families were devastated by the tragedy.
“I find myself sitting there reading victim impact statements in tears because it never ceases to be stark and brutal,” said the man.
