A teenage girl has tragically died in hospital a week after a freak crash left her two friends in a critical condition and fighting for their lives.
Shalaney Velasquez, 19, died on Sunday as a result of injuries sustained when the car she was a passenger in crashed on the M5, in Sydney’s southwest, on April 21.
Ms Velasquez’s devastated family made the heartbreaking announcement she had died on a gofundme page, created to help cover funeral costs, on Monday.
Shalaney Velasquez, 19 (pictured), died on Sunday as a result of injuries sustained when the car she was a passenger in crashed a week earlier on the M5, in Sydney’s southwest
Ms Velasquez (pictured) and her friend Lisa Aitoa, 18, were in the back seat of the Mazda at the time, while her friend Faith Patolo-Vitale, 19, was behind the wheel
In the listing, the family described the 19-year-old as a ‘beautiful soul’ who was a beloved daughter, sister, grand-daughter, niece, cousin and friend.
‘On Sunday, 28 April 2019 we lost our beautiful Shalaney. She fought hard and strong to stay with us but unfortunately God had other plans,’ the listing stated.
‘Her family is struggling with the most difficult loss of their lives, and words cannot describe the pain that they are dealing with during this time.
‘The last thing we want for the family to worry or deal with at this time is any financial burden,’ the gofundme listing stated.
A Liverpool Hospital spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday she was unable to comment on Ms Velasquez’s death as it is now a police matter.
The spokeswoman said she was unable to comment on the condition of the other two women.
Ms Velasquez and her friend Lisa Aitoa, 18, had been in the back seat of the Mazda at the time of the crash, while her friend Faith Patolo-Vitale, 19, was behind the wheel.
The family of Ms Velasquez (pictured), who described her as a ‘beautiful soul’, have since started a gofundme page to help her family with funeral costs
Ms Velasquez’s (left) friends, Faith Patolo-Vitale (centre) and Lisa Aitoa (right), were also injured in the crash and taken to hospital
Ms Patolo-Vitale’s brother, Aliamanu Patolo-Vitale, 18, was the front seat passenger.
Emergency services were called to the scene, between Belmore Road and King Georges Road, about 6.25pm following reports a car crashed into a stationary bus.
All four passengers were trapped inside the vehicle and required emergency services to cut the car and pull them out.
They were treated at the scene before the three girls were rushed to hospital – all in critical condition.
The driver of the bus, which was parked in a breakdown area on the side of the road, was uninjured and there were no passengers onboard at the time of the crash (pictured is the scene)
Pictured are Ms Patolo-Vitale (middle), Ms Velasquez (left) and Ms Aitoa (right)
Mr Patolo-Vitale was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition.
The driver of the bus, which was parked in a breakdown area on the side of the road, was uninjured and there were no passengers onboard at the time of the crash.
The Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit is still investigating the horrific incident to see whether Ms Patolo-Vitale was distracted, or if there was a mechanical problem with her car.
Footage shows the entire bumper of the vehicle smashed into itself.
Police have urged anyone with information or dashcam footage to get in contact or call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Footage shows the entire bumper of the vehicle smashed into itself (pictured)