Three-year-old dies after car crash, father charged

Police have charged a man with breaching a domestic violence order following a car crash in which a three-year-old child later died from head injuries.

The accident occurred in bushland north of the Gold Coast at 5am on Saturday.

Police expect new charges to be laid against a 24-year-old man who is due to appear in court on Monday.

Allegedly, the father fled the scene of the accident with his one-year-old child.

A witness saw the car leave the road and later took a 22-year-old woman and a three-year-old boy to Beenleigh Police Station.

Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Mooney said the temporary protection order had been in place since June 2024 and the couple had separated.

“The three-year-old child suffered a head injury which led to his death,” Detective Acting Supt Mooney told reporters.

“Any previous incidents of domestic violence between the two (parents) will form part of our investigation.”

The child became unresponsive at the entrance of the police station and the police performed CPR, but the child died.

Detective Acting Supt Mooney praised the efforts of officers who bravely tried to resuscitate the child.

He said that the mother asked the eyewitness to take her to the police station after the accident.

The driver of the vehicle was believed to be a 24-year-old man from Beenleigh.

Police found the man and the young child at an address in Beenleigh about 90 minutes after the incident.

The child was taken to the hospital for observation. Both adults were checked in hospital before being medically discharged.

Police investigation continues.

The police asked for other witnesses to be questioned.

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