The loving parents who were killed during a freak car crash on a highway in Western Australia had their 17-month-old daughter in the back seat.
Emergency services rushed to Forrest Highway near Yunderup, outside of Mandurah, south of Perth, on Sunday at about 6.20pm following reports of a crash.
Harrison McElroy, 24, and Kayla Sheppard, 31, had parked their car in the southbound emergency lane and had exited the vehicle when a dark blue Volvo station wagon travelling in the same direction crashed into them.
The driver of the Volvo immediately called emergency services and stopped at the scene to assist the couple.
Both Mr McElroy and Ms Sheppard died at the scene.
When police arrived they found Ms Sheppard’s 17-month-old baby girl Mya unharmed in the backseat of their white MG sedan.
The couple were travelling to Waroona to drop off Mother’s Day presents and were less than half an hour from their destination when they were it.
It’s unclear why the couple had parked in the emergency lane and left their vehicle.
Kayla Sheppard, 31,a nd Harrison McElroy, 24 were killed after they exited their parked car and were hit by another vehicle travelling in the same direction on the Forrest Highway, south of Perth
When police arrived at the scene they found Ms Sheppard’s 17-month-old baby girl Mya in the backseat of the car unharmed
Family and friends have shared tributes to the loving couple whose lives were tragically cut short.
‘The spark they did have was genuine and pure,’ friend Kahu Beard told 9News.
Another friend of the couple, Ebony Brown said the pair were ‘together forever now’.
‘She was so loving and doting on her daughter. When I first met her she just lit up the room, and it was just like magic.’
On Tuesday, Mr McElroy’s brother said he ‘made a huge impact on all our lives’ and described him as a a ‘great father and a great son, uncle and brother’.
Mr McElroy leaves behind his young daughter, 18-month-old Ada, who he described as the ‘most perfect little human’ in a touching post on social media.
Major Crash detectives are investigating the exact circumstances of the crash and what made the pair leave their car.
Anyone who witnessed the crash, has dashcam or mobile phone footage, is being urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
