British parents who were preparing to bury their 17-year-old son were stunned to learn weeks later that he was actually alive.
South Yorkshire Police acknowledged that they had mistakenly identified the victim of a Dec. 13 car crash near Rotherham. Officers initially said that Trevor “TJ” Wynn had died in the crash alongside a 17-year-old girl, while 18-year-old Joshua Johnson was believed to have survived but remained in a medically induced coma.
The error came to light early Monday when the hospitalized male patient woke up and identified himself, according to the Telegraph. Police then brought Trevor’s mother to the hospital, where she confirmed that the patient was her son.
A family friend said the revelation has been devastating, noting that while Trevor is alive, he remains in serious condition. “It has been heartbreaking for them,” the friend told the BBC and Telegraph.
In a statement to the Guardian, Johnson’s family said they had spent “hours in hospital with who we now know to be Trevor,” adding that “what we have been through and are continuing to go through is unimaginable.”
Before the mistake was discovered, a charity boxing event had been organized to help cover Trevor’s funeral costs, and mourners had left flowers in his memory at a local youth center. His funeral had been scheduled for Friday.
Local councillor Paul Thorp called the error “disgraceful” and criticized what he described as a lack of proper checks. Assistant Chief Constable Colin McFarlane said the discovery was “a shock to everyone” and acknowledged it may have caused “additional trauma” for both families.
“We are absolutely committed to understanding how this happened so it cannot happen again,” McFarlane said, confirming that the force has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct for an investigation. He added that specialist support is being offered to both families.