Baby of couple killed in A40 crash was due on Valentine’s Day – family

The unborn baby who died when her newlywed parents were killed in a head-on crash with a coach following a police pursuit was due to have been born on Valentine’s Day.

The heartbroken family of Patrick McDonagh, 19, and his 18-year-old wife Shauna, who were killed on the A40 near East Acton in west London on Sunday, said the couple were “very much looking forward to the birth of their daughter”.

They had already named picked out Sienna Marie as her name, they said.

Investigators said the occupants of the car, including the couple and a second man who was taken to hospital, were not present at the time of the burglary that prompted the officers’ response.

A family statement said: “Patrick and Shauna were a young couple who had recently got married and were very much in love.

“Patrick was a devoted husband to Shauna and they were very much looking forward to the birth of their daughter Sienna Marie who was due to be born on Valentine’s Day.”

The families have requested the media respect their privacy at this difficult time.

The car they were in was on the wrong side of the road when they died in a head-on collision with the coach at about 9pm.

Around 20 minutes earlier police had been called to reports of an aggravated burglary in Harrow and began a road chase.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has said it is understood that police were pursuing the car, a Renault Scenic, for about 10 minutes but terminated the pursuit prior to the crash.

An IOPC statement said: “It has now been confirmed, as part of a separate police investigation, that the occupants of the Renault were not present at the time of an aggravated burglary reported to have taken place in Harrow.”

The IOPC said its investigation would look at “the information the police had and the rationale for the pursuit”.

A National Police Air Service helicopter was tracking the Renault when it crashed.

Accounts from officers, along with footage from the helicopter, police cars, body-worn video, CCTV and in-car data are among the evidence being gathered by investigators.

The Metropolitan Police made a mandatory referral to the IOPC later on Sunday.

IOPC regional director Jonathan Green said: “My thoughts are with the families and friends of Patrick and Shauna, those injured and all those affected by this incident.

“It is important that we now establish all of the circumstances surrounding this collision.

“We have therefore launched an independent investigation into the events leading to the collision and immediately deployed our investigators to attend the scene and the post-incident procedure.”

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