Australian family is ripped apart after their ‘sacred journey’ to India took a tragic turn

• Aussie father and daughter killed in India

By CAITLIN POWELL FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 16:43 BST, 29 May 2025 | Updated: 16:43 BST, 29 May 2025

An Australian mum who was seriously injured a horrific head-on crash which claimed the lives of her husband and daughter remains stuck in India as her surviving child continues to fight for life.

Melbourne couple Dass Santiago and Sandra Edward and their two young daughters were travelling with other family members to the Velankanni Christian shrine in the southern state of Tamil Nadu on May 21 when tragedy struck.

The trip was meant to be a ‘sacred journey’ to visit his ailing mother and commemorate her husband’s older brother, who died in Sydney last year.

Their van collided with a bus on a highway, which killed six family members, including Mr Santiago, 45, another brother and his sister-in-law.

‘I saw my husband die in front of me,’ Ms Edward recalled on a GoFundMe page.

‘That image is burned into my mind, a cruel, relentless torment. 

‘Barely surviving the crash myself with multiple fractures and life-threatening injuries, I clung to the hope that my children were safe.’

Sadly, Ms Edward’s youngest daughter Natasha was also killed, weeks shy of her sixth birthday next month.

Dass Santiago (pictured, left) and his youngest daughter Natasha (pictured, centre) were killed in a horror crash in India

The family had been travelling in a van to a Christian shrine in the southern state of Tamil Nadu when it collided with a bus

Her surviving daughter Angie endured two brain surgeries after the impact crushed her skull.

Angie remains in a coma while Ms Edward also remains in hospital.

‘How can I ever comprehend that I will never hold my little angel again? My heart is ripped to shreds, she said.

‘I’ve also undergone two surgeries, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be the same.

‘But I must live for Angie. She is my reason to fight, my last shred of hope in this unfathomable darkness.’

The GoFundMe page has raised $108,000 within four days.

Mr Santiago, who worked for Nissan Dandenong was hailed as a loving father and a devoted husband.

‘I need help to bury my beloved Dass and my precious Tash,’ the widow continued.

Natasha (right) died weeks before her sixth birthday. Her sister Natasha (left) remains in a coma

Ms Edward has organised a GoFundMe page to cover the costs of her husband and younger daughter’s burial, as well as transporting herself and her older daughter back to Australia

‘And most urgently, I need help to medically evacuate Angie and myself back to Australia.’

The family were members of the St Kevin’s Catholic Parish in Hampton Park, which paid tribute this week

‘We offer our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those we’ve lost, and pray for strength and hope for the ones still battling through this heartbreaking situation,’ the parish posted online.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed consular assistance is being provided to an Australian family in India.

‘We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time. Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment,’ they said.

Ms Edward described how she was living in the ‘deepest valley of despair’ and still remains in hospital. 

Family friend Leon Vieyra told 7News Ms Edward and her daughter needed access to facilities and support.

‘We need better medical facilities to cope with this magnitude that they’re going through,’ he said.

A memorial for Mr Santiago and Natasha will be held on June 14. 

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Australian family is ripped apart after their ‘sacred journey’ to India took a tragic turn

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