NEED TO KNOW
- Three mothers died in a single-vehicle collision in Leicester, England, on Dec. 13
- Local police have since named two of the women — Bhamini Karsan, 42, and Neeru Patel, also 42 — as their families paid tribute to the “devoted” moms
- The third women who died, Virashi Chauhan, per the BBC, was also a mother, according to the Daily Mail
Three moms tragically died in a single-vehicle crash just days before Christmas in England.
The collision occurred in the early hours of Dec. 13, when the blue BMW they were traveling in left the road near the city of Leicester, around 100 miles north of London, per a news release from the Leicestershire Police.
Two of the women who died in the crash were named by police in the release on Dec. 18.
Bhamini Karsan, 42, was described as a “loving and devoted mother, wife, and daughter,” while a tribute to Neeru Patel, 42, said her “values live on through her two beautiful children.”
The third woman killed in the crash was Virashi Chauhan, 39, per reporting by the BBC on Wednesday, Jan. 7. According to the Leicestershire County Council website, a hearing into the three women’s deaths was opened on Jan. 7 by coroner Sophie Lomas.
A fourth person in the car also suffered minor injuries, per the release.
Karsan was an office administrator, Patel was a marketing manager and Chauhan was a company secretary, the BBC reported.
According to the Daily Mail, Chauhan was also a mom. She was described as a “beloved wife,” “devoted mother” and “cherished daughter” in a tribute issued by a family member, per the outlet.
Patel’s family said in a statement that she “lived a life rooted in love, compassion, and quiet faith, devoted above all to her family and to caring for others. Her gentle spirit and selfless kindness touched many within our world, often in ways unseen but deeply felt,” per the police release.
“Though she is no longer with us, her love, her kindness, and her values live on through her two beautiful children and in the hearts of all who knew her,” the statement concluded.
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Meanwhile, Karsan’s family said, “Bhamini was a loving and devoted mother, wife, and daughter, remembered for her warm and bubbly personality and her kindness to others.”
“She was deeply loved by her family and cherished by friends and the wider community,” her family continued, adding that they “respectfully but firmly request privacy and space to grieve” at “this extremely difficult time.”
Coroner Lomas said autopsies were carried out within a week of the women’s deaths, reported the BBC. The hearing into their deaths has been adjourned until July 22.
PEOPLE has reached out to the coroner’s office for comment.
In their initial release about the crash, police said they were called to the scene around 1 a.m. local time. The call was made by the fourth person in the vehicle, who was injured.
“A 37-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. She has been released from police custody under investigation while our enquiries continue,” the release added.
Police also requested that anyone driving in the area at the time review their dashcam footage to help with their inquiries.
“We are working to understand what led the car to leave the carriageway and any information from witnesses may be helpful in establishing this,” they shared.
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