A young mother was tragically killed in a devastating crash while travelling to Devon for a family holiday with her 11-month-old daughter — but, against the odds, her baby survived the terrifying collision.
Caitlin Saunders, 28, was travelling from her home in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, to Devon with her little girl when the family’s grey Cupra Formentor was involved in a catastrophic single-vehicle crash on the A30 on Saturday, August 8.
Caitlin was sitting in the front passenger seat and was pronounced dead at the scene, an inquest into her death at Exeter Coroners’ Court heard.
In an extraordinary turn of events, her 11-month-old daughter survived the crash without injury.
Another family member who was driving the vehicle suffered minor injuries.
The devastating collision prompted Devon and Cornwall Police to close the A30 for several hours as officers investigated the circumstances surrounding the crash. Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses who may have seen the vehicle before the collision.
(Image: GoFundMe)
Family Left Heartbroken By Caitlin’s Sudden Death
An inquest into Caitlin’s death was formally opened at Exeter Coroners’ Court on August 25 as her devastated family began trying to come to terms with an unimaginable loss.
Her relatives described Caitlin as a much-loved daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, cousin and friend who was cherished by countless people.
Her aunt, Karen Saunders, said there were “simply no words” to describe the devastation the family was experiencing.
Caitlin, she said, was “known and loved by so many people,” making her sudden death all the more difficult to comprehend.
But amid the grief, the family said their greatest source of comfort was Caitlin’s baby daughter — the little girl she tragically left behind.
The child is due to celebrate her first birthday next month, but Caitlin will never be there to see that milestone.
Karen described the occasion as something that should have been filled with “love, laughter and memories” shared between a mother and her daughter.
Instead, it will mark the beginning of countless milestones that Caitlin will never get the chance to witness.
Caitlin Saunders died in the crash on the A30 in Devon(Image: Jam Press)
Tributes have been paid to the mum, who was from Milton Keynes(Image: Jam Press)
Baby Daughter Becomes Family’s “Only Comfort”
The tragedy has left Caitlin’s loved ones facing the heartbreaking reality that her daughter will grow up without her mother.
For the family, however, knowing that the little girl survived the crash has provided a small measure of comfort during an otherwise unbearable time.
Caitlin’s relatives have since shared photographs of both the young mother and her daughter, preserving memories of the woman they say was deeply loved by those around her.
They have also launched a GoFundMe appeal to help with Caitlin’s funeral expenses and establish a fund for her daughter’s future.
By August 28, the fundraiser had already raised more than £11,000.
As the investigation continues, Caitlin’s family is left mourning a life cut tragically short — while her baby daughter faces her first birthday without the mother who should have been there beside her.
