Family possibly victims of suicide bid

Police are investigating if the North Cork couple, whose two-year-old son and unborn child were killed in a car crash in Devon, were the victims of a suicide bid.

It is believed the driver of the other car — a Polish national in his 20s — deliberately drove out of his lane and straight into the family.

They were on their way to catch the Pembroke- Rosslare sailing when the Vauxhall Vectra ploughed into them at Torquay on Friday.

Con Twomey, 39, and his wife, 36-year-old Elber, remain in a critical condition in hospital. Members of their family are keeping vigil at their bedside.

The family from Meelin, Kanturk, had opted to drive via ferry to Britain as wife, Elber was six months pregnant and airlines would not allow her to fly. Her unborn child also died in the collision.

The couple suffered life threatening injuries and were taken to hospital by air ambulance. The young Polish man was arrested at the scene but later died. Prayers were said for the families at Masses in Meelin and Rockchapel parishes yesterday morning.

Con Twomey, a construction worker who had been out of work since Christmas, had been looking forward to returning to work next week. He had spent the past six months minding their two-year-old son, Oisin, while Elber, originally from Rockchapel, worked as a primary school teacher at the Convent of Mercy in Kanturk.

The couple had recently moved into their dream home, a bungalow in Meelin, and had just enjoyed a week-long break around the south-west of England.

It’s understood that Oisin died in the crash while Elber lost her unborn child in hospital later that day.

Con was a well-known hurler in the Meelin area having won five medals in the Duhallow Championship in the 1990s.

“He was a brilliant hurler. They were a very well liked couple. People around here are devastated,” said neighbour and former teammate Thomas O’Mahony.

Police in Devon said it appeared the black Vectra went down a hill and swerved into the path of the family’s oncoming car.

A police major crime investigation team and serious collision investigation unit are looking into the circumstances of the crash. The crash was witnessed by a police officer. Because the driver of a police car witnessed the crash, the force has referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

It’s believed Con’s family have already had difficult 12 months as his sister became seriously ill after contracting a blood infection in the past 12 months. She lives in Meelin with Con’s mother. His father is in a nursing home in Boherbue.

Twenty-five emergency service vehicles attended the incident, along with three air ambulances.

Mr Twomey, 39, was taken by ambulance to Derriford Hospital, while Mrs Twomey and Oisin were taken to Torbay Hospital by air ambulance.