Shocking mix-up after crash: Police wrongly told parents their teenage son was dead when he was actually alive in hospital
A serious blunder by the authorities has led to two families in the UK receiving wrong information after a road accident, with one being told that their son had died and the other that his son was seriously injured, when the reality was just the opposite.
The misidentification was caused by the extremely serious injuries. PHOTO: X/@MPFed
The mistake came to light nearly three weeks after the crash on December 13, 2025, near Rotherham in South Yorkshire.
The family of 17-year-old Trevor Wynn have been in mourning for three weeks, believing he died in the crash. At the same time, the family of 18-year-old Joshua Johnson was informed that their son was alive but in a critical condition in hospital, the Daily Mail reports.
The dramatic situation was clarified on Sunday, January 4, when the teenager in the hospital woke up and told the medical staff: “I'm Trevor”. At that point, Joshua's parents were notified by the authorities that the young interned boy was not, in fact, their son, later confirming: “This is not our son.”
According to sources, the misidentification was caused by the extremely serious injuries sustained by the surviving teenager, which made it impossible to recognize him until he regained consciousness.
Also, Joshua and Trevor, known to those close to them as TJ, had similar physical features. On Tuesday, new forensic tests confirmed that the lifeless body was, in fact, that of Joshua Johnson. Trevor's family were preparing for the funeral later this week before learning the incredible news that the teenager was alive.
Investigation launched and official apology
South Yorkshire Police said it had referred the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the police watchdog, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the error.
A police representative formally apologized to the two families, saying he had offered to meet with them and stressing that such a mistake “it must never happen again.”
Initially, authorities had announced that Trevor Wynn was pronounced dead at the scene. A 17-year-old girl also lost her life in the accident, after the car they were in left the road and hit a tree. A third teenager was taken to hospital.
On Sunday, the police stated that they appeared “concerns” related to the identity of the victims, and a new formal identification procedure, including forensic tests, determined that Trevor Wynn is alive and receiving medical attention.
In this case, an 18-year-old man was arrested, being suspected of manslaughter, and another, 19, under suspicion of obstruction of justice. Both have been released on bail, with the investigation still ongoing.
