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Mum's 'tragic mistake' moments before crash that killed her and two kids

Police are investigating whether the mother's actions contributed to the fatal car crash.

A relative of the mum who died alongside her two children in a horrific car crash last week has revealed the 34-year-old may have been distracted in the lead-up to the fatal collision on Sydney's Hume Highway.

Katrina Sila and her two-year-old son Kai Prahastono died at the scene after their car hit a cement truck travelling along the other side of the motorway near Menangle Park in Sydney's southwest.

Her three-month-old daughter Ivy was pulled from the wreckage and was urgently treated by medical staff at The Children's Hospital at Westmead, but sadly died several days later.

On the left, picture of Ian Prahastono and Katrina Sila in Dubai and right, the family together before the car crash.
Katrina Sila and her two children were killed in a car crash when their SUV collided with a cement truck on the Hume Highway last week. Source: Facebook / Ian Prahastono

A police investigation has been underway since last week, however, a relative said Ms Sila reportedly "got distracted", and was on speakerphone to a friend moments before the crash.

“The friend she was speaking to has told police ... Kat said to her, ‘Oh no, I’ve missed my turn, now I’ll have to try to turn around somewhere',” the relative told The Daily Telegraph.

It is believed police are investigating if Ms Sila was on the phone and if this contributed to the accident.

Witnesses have also shared the family's car appeared to be doing a U-turn through an emergency bay between the north and southbound lanes when it was struck, the newspaper reported.

Aerial shots show first responders at the scene last Monday morning, wearing high vis uniforms and helmets.
NSW Ambulance Chief Superintendent Mark Gibbs said the accident was a "challenging scene" for the first responders to attend. Source: 7 News

Father's heartfelt tribute

Husband and father Ian Prahastono took to social media and posted an emotional tribute to his family on Facebook, sharing he is desperately struggling to come to terms with the tragedy but is grateful for the life shared with his family, referring to his children as the "perfect boy" and "beautiful girl".

He shared that wise words often spoken by "the love of his life" are helping to guide him through his devastation.

"As Katrina always said to me 'with every hardship there will come ease' and I will take her words to the heart. I do hope I find peace and look forward to the day I am reunited with my family inshallah," he wrote.

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