Five-year-old sole survivor of triple-fatal car crash recovers in hospital
The five-year-old sole-survivor of a car crash that claimed the life of his father, grandfather and a real estate agent is recovering in hospital.
Little Hugh Christie was thrown from the four-wheel drive on Monday on a remote property in the New South Wales Hunter region, leaving him with a broken arm and nose.
His father Paul Christie, 42, and grandfather Bill Christie, 75, were killed, along with popular real estate agent Adam O'Reagan.
The group had been inspecting the property in Gundy, near Scone, when the Mr O'Reagan attempted to perform a U-turn, police believe.
The vehicle lost control, plunging 400m down an embankment where Paul Christie was killed instantly.
Chief Inspector Guy Guiana was brought to tears when addressing the media on Tuesday.
"The younger male, the son, was killed pretty much instantly and we do believe that his father may have been alive for some time and may have made his way to his son before he died," Insp Guiana said.
"We can only imagine the trauma that he's (Hugh) gone through."
Police were only alerted to the crash when a neighbour found the child wandering around the property, scared and alone. It is believed Hugh attempted to use a mobile phone to call for help.
He is in a stable condition at John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle, with his family by his side.
"Our son, who thankfully sustained non-life threatening injuries, is understandably shaken and it is our family's number one priority to be there and care for him as he recovers," a statement from the Christie family read.
Adam O'Regan was a father of three and married to Sally O'Regan, a teacher at Scone Grammar School.
Paul Christie also had a daughter, Hattie, and wife Linda. The family lived in Balmain where he worked as the director of a financial planning business.
