A family has described enduring "two deaths" after a catastrophic police identification mix-up meant they spent three weeks believing their son had survived a fatal car crash, only to learn he had died instantly. The fates of Joshua Johnson, 18, and Trevor Wynn, 17, were wrongly swapped following a collision on Todwick Road near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, in December 2025.
Joshua's parents were initially informed by South Yorkshire Police that two teenagers had died in the crash, and that their son was in an induced coma. For two weeks, they visited and stayed at the hospital bedside of who they believed to be Joshua. However, on January 4, it was revealed that the unconscious teenager was in fact Trevor Wynn.
At the same time, Trevor Wynn's parents were mistakenly told their son had died in the crash alongside Summer Scott, also 17, who was driving the vehicle. This devastating error meant Trevor’s family were days away from holding his funeral, unaware that their son was the critically injured passenger in hospital.
An inquest into Joshua's death heard that learning the unconscious teenager was not their son had been "a huge shock" for his family. Joshua's father, Lee Johnson, 53, stated in a deposition read by the coroner that it felt "like as a family we’d had two deaths" and that he felt he had "missed out on the initial part of the grieving process."
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the mix-up. According to reports from the scene, personal property belonging to both Joshua and Trevor was found scattered. A phone containing Joshua’s driving license and a bank card in Trevor’s name were among the items. Police used this information to identify the deceased and the surviving patient, leading to the error.
An accident reconstruction revealed that Summer Scott, who had not passed her driving test, was driving at 95 mph in her Toyota on an unlit country road when she lost control on a sweeping left-hand bend. The car left the road, struck a tree, and all three occupants were found to have been wearing seatbelts. The vehicle had no mechanical defects.
Rotherham coroner Nicola Mundy concluded that Joshua had been unlawfully killed, stating that Summer's driving exhibited "all the elements" of gross negligence manslaughter due to the excessive speed on unlit roads. In a separate hearing, it was concluded that Summer died as a result of the road traffic collision.
South Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Colin McFarlane stated that the force has reviewed its identification procedures and adopted new national guidance. He reiterated the force's deepest sympathies to the families of Joshua and Summer, and acknowledged the "unprecedented upset and uncertainty" endured by Trevor and his family.
Joshua's family described him as a "loveable, gentle giant" with a "massive heart." They shared memories of holidays and stock car racing, a passion he held since infancy. Trevor Wynn has since been discharged from the hospital and is reported to be making "an amazing recovery."