A mother from Western Australia, Rachel Van Oyen, who was imprisoned following a tragic car crash that claimed the lives of her seven-year-old twin daughters, Macey and Riley, is expected to be released from jail shortly.
During a recent court hearing, it was revealed that while the girls were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident, they were not secured in car seats. The tragic event occurred last February when Van Oyen momentarily closed her eyes, resulting in her vehicle crashing into a tree and flipping over near Merredin, located about 230 kilometres east of Perth. The courtroom reacted with gasps when she was sentenced to two months in prison followed by six months of community service for two counts of careless driving causing death.
Van Oyen is set to be released after spending only two nights behind bars, as a judge has agreed to hear her appeal against the sentence. Her stepmother, Heather Van Oyen, expressed relief at the news, saying, “I am happy that she will be out with us today.” Shortly after her sentencing, Van Oyen’s legal team filed an appeal, arguing that the punishment was “manifestly excessive”.
A statement from the stepmother highlighted the profound emotional toll that Rachel endures daily due to the incident, describing it as a “lifelong sentence”. While the judge granted bail, she warned that this should not raise false hopes about the potential outcome of the appeal, as it does not guarantee that Van Oyen won’t return to prison later on.
The court acknowledged that despite Rachel not being fatigued or speeding at the time of the crash, she had veered her vehicle after closing her eyes for a brief moment, which led to the tragic outcome. The case has garnered significant attention, stirring discussions about road safety and the severe implications of distracted driving.