Man Charged After 2-Year-Old Dies In Avonmouth

30 April 2015, 14:40 | Updated: 1 May 2015, 11:08

A 46-year-old man's due in court charged with causing the death of a two-year-old by dangerous driving in Avonmouth.

Mircea Husarencu, from Romania, was charged in connection with the collision between a Toyota Yaris and a Mercedes minibus in Kings Weston Lane, Avonmouth, on Tuesday morning.

A woman and two children, who were in the Yaris, were taken to hospital after suffering injuries in the collision.

One of the children, two-year-old Natasha May Packman, was kept in hospital but died from her injuries Tuesday night.

The family of two-year-old Natasha May Packman have released a tribute to her.

“On Tuesday morning we had our little girl, Natasha, taken from us, in a moment of awful, life-changing destruction.

“Our broken bones and cuts will heal over time, but our hearts will be broken forever.

“Our only consolation in all of this terrible sadness is that our beautiful daughter did not feel any pain and that she did not suffer during the last few hours of her precious life.

“When she woke up on Tuesday morning, it was a lovely April day, but she will see no more of them and will never collect Spring flowers again, as she so loved to do.

“In all of this there is a heart-breaking sadness for us all, but a knowledge that the world is a good place, full of good people, who show love and kindness."

“We want to thank the incredible people who tried so hard to save our little girl on Tuesday and who are continuing to support us through this, as the nightmare continues.

“We will never forget the members of the public who came to help us, the teams of doctors; nurses; liaison specialists; emergency crews; police and the other wonderful professionals at the Bristol Children’s Hospital who cared for us on that most terrible of days.

“We are so grateful to our friends and family who love us and who make us feel that we are not alone, as we face a life without our little girl.

“In all of this there is a heart-breaking sadness for us all, but a knowledge that the world is a good place, full of good people, who show love and kindness. It would have been a wonderful place for Tasha to have grown up in, if only she had been given the chance.

“Now we have to look after our family and to cherish the memory of our darling daughter, sister, grandchild and friend. This will be the first journey for our family where we will not feel Tasha’s little hand in ours and that sadness will be ours forever.

“She was a child who always had a ‘hello’ and a wave for people that she met, and who brought such smiles and pleasure to those that she encountered. We are left with memories and the knowledge that she felt loved, safe, happy and cherished by all those closest to her. She will never be here again, but she will also never leave us.

“In the past we have always been horrified to see the intrusion into grieving families’ lives as they deal with the very hardest of days.

“Now we are that heart-wrenched family and implore people to leave us alone, as we come to terms with the irrevocable change in our world.

“We have not issued a picture of Natasha, as we want our daughter’s image to remain private and special to those who knew and loved her. Please respect this.

“We simply ask that you hold your own families close, that you sleep well in your beds and that you treasure every possible moment with your children; be grateful that you are not in this terrible situation and remember us in your thoughts.”

Following an appeal by the Crown Prosecution Service, the 46-year-old man charged with causing death by dangerous driving following the fatal collision was not released on bail following his court hearing on Thursday.

Mr Husarencu, a Romanian national, was granted bail at his initial hearing at Bristol Magistrates' Court but following an appeal he was remanded in custody and he will appear at Bristol Crown Court on Friday (1st May)