Olivia Stevens ATV rollover death: Mother reveal has now revealed the three questions that will always haunt her

The mother of a six-year-old girl killed in a buggy crash on a planned sleepover has told a court her life has ‘remained in hell’ for the three years since the tragedy.

Olivia Stevens was crushed when her classmate’s dad’s Polaris ATV rolled after hitting previous tyre ruts in the front paddock of their Rosedale home in Victoria’s Gippsland region on September 11, 2021.

The vehicle was being driven by Damien Gibson, 36, with seven unrestrained children in the four-seater – including five of his own.

Gibson returned before the Victorian County Court on Monday after accepting a sentence indication of a maximum five-year jail stint and pleading guilty to culpable driving causing death last month.

The court was told Olivia and her mother, Jana Stevens had visited the Gibson family for a planned BBQ and overnight stay, arriving at 2.30pm.

Shortly before 4pm, Mrs Stevens left to go pick up her eldest son from an event but Olivia, who was in the pool, wanted to stay.

Just minutes later, Gibson took the children out on his new buggy, purchased less than a month earlier, and rolled the vehicle while attempting to perform a hard right turn in deep grass.

Olivia was thrown from the ATV and crushed under roll bars, and was pronounced dead after she was flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

In court on Monday, Mrs Stevens relieved the questions that have gone through through her mind every day since Olivia died.

‘Did she know she was dying? Was she calling for her mum and dad? Was she in pain?,’ she asked.

‘I thought for a long time that maybe she was forgotten under the buggy as the other kids were screaming and she was probably quiet.’

Prosecutors told the court none of the riders were wearing seatbelts or helmets, with Gibson’s offending described as ‘gross negligence’ in his decision to drive.

‘A very clear message needs to be sent to the community that these vehicles aren’t toys,’ the prosecutor said.

Olivia’s mother,  Jana Stevens (pictured), told the court that her life has remained in hell since that fateful day and the only reason she can keep going is for her two sons

Mrs Stevens told the court she remembered receiving the call to come back as the ‘moment the world came crashing down on me’.

‘Olivia was an incredible child … she was the emotional glue in our family.

‘There isn’t a moment when we don’t think of her – its like we’re stuck in pain.’

Through tears, Mrs Stevens said her life has remained in hell since that fateful day and the only reason she can keep going is for her two sons.

She questioned why it had taken Gibson almost three years to accept responsibility.

Olivia’s father, Scott Stevens, told Gibson he would never forgive him.

‘Olivia was the light and soul of our family, you have taken that away from us,’ he said.

‘You have turned my dreams black, you have taken happiness from me and us.’

Olivia was remembered by her mum as the emotional glue of the family

Gibson’s barrister Peter Morrissey SC told the court his client was not a bad person, he ‘just thought he was better than he was’.

‘His own kids was on that vehicle, there’s a terrible randomness about who it was who was killed in the end,’ he said.

Mr Morrissey said Gibson will be ‘sorry until the day he dies’ and had written a letter of apology, but was not going to read it out in court in respect of Mrs Stevens’ wishes.

Gibson will be sentenced by Judge Richard Maidment in October.