Daughter of truck driver in crash that killed a toddler fears he will take his own life with grief

The daughter of a driver whose truck ploughed into five cars in a horror crash that claimed the life of a toddler fears holds grave fears for his mental health. 

A two-year-old girl died at the scene after Matt Livingston’s truck careened out of control on the Calder Freeway in Victoria. 

Mr Livingston, 42, has been released from police custody pending further inquiries. 

The girl’s parents, aged 35 and 37, were seriously injured when the 42-tonne truck overturned and crashed into their car about 2.30pm on Monday. 

Their other child, a one-year-old girl, was discharged from the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne on Tuesday evening. The family lives in Caulfield South in Melbourne’s south-east.

Police are investigating several factors around the circumstances of the crash (scene pictured)

Mr Livingston’s daughter Courtney said the accident was an ‘absolute tragedy’. 

‘I will be surprised if he can survive his own mental health after this,’ she told the Herald Sun. 

‘A car swerved in front of him as shown on dashcam footage. It’s much more difficult for a fully loaded truck to brake than a normal car.’ 

Jarrod Bell of Victoria’s State Emergency Service said it was a ‘confronting’ scene to attend.

‘Six vehicles and five people trapped, this is one of the largest and most complex calls I have attended in a decade,’ he said. 

‘Any incident involving a child is challenging but when we are dealing with the death of a two-year-old that breaks my heart. This call is something that will sit with us for quite a while.’

Police are investigating several factors around the circumstances of the crash.

‘We are too early in the investigation to come up with those answers – whether there is involvement of excessive speeding or drugs, or anything like that,’ Detective Sergeant Mark Amos said. 

‘It is simple physics why this happened and if people don’t show some responsibility and respect it, then this will continue… and other families are going to have the single worst Christmas of their lives.’

A 62-year-old man whose car was also hit is still at Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious but stable condition.  

Dashcam footage captured the catastrophic moment the crash occurred.

An SES officer said the crash site (pictured) was a ‘confronting’ scene to attend to

Police told Daily Mail Australia the crash was still under investigation, and pleaded for anyone who may have seen it unfiled to come forward.

Distressing images showed grain and debris strewn across the highway, which was closed when emergency services arrived on the scene.

Onlookers said the wreckage was the worst they had ever seen.

‘Drove past this just after it happened and I felt sick to my stomach. Terrible,’ one woman wrote on Facebook.

Others who were stuck in traffic as a result said they broke down when they saw the tragedy on the news.

Confronting dashcam footage shows the moment the truck ploughs into several vehicles entering a 40km/h roadwork zone.

A car in front of the semi-trailer appears to swerve into the right-side lane, prompting the truck to do the same.

But the truck crashes into the back of a vehicle and a massive multi-car collision follows, ending with the semi-trailer toppling over.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene on the Calder Freeway in Melbourne ‘s north west, just after 2.30pm on Monday

A two-year-old girl died. Her sister and parents are in critical condition after a horror smash on a busy freeway (pictured) 

‘This is a catastrophe, this is an absolute disaster,’ Detective Amos said, imploring motorists to slow down.

‘It’s monumentally frustrating to see this sort of stuff… take your time, slow down, look after each other.’  

Aerial images showed the large truck on its side with the grain covering much of the road.

Debris from other cars was also strewn across the freeway including a vehicle that was towing a boat.  

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.