‘Much loved' young teenager who died after 4WD incident in Queensland identified as 14-year-old with ‘promising, bright future'
Police launched an investigation on Wednesday after Declan Phillips was hit by a Mitsubishi Pajero about 1km away from the school he attended in south-east Queensland.
Emergency services were called to Tingal Rd and Berrima St in Wynnum at about 8.20am, with the 14-year-old dying at the scene.
The driver of the vehicle, a 17-year-old male, escaped injury in the incident along with a 41-year-old female and 16-year-old male who were passengers, a police statement said.
A GoFundMe page has since been set up to support Declan's family with burial and funeral costs, and the fundraiser has already raised over $32,000 as of Thursday night.
'Declan had such a promising, bright future. He was skilled and talented in a wide array of areas, from speed cubing, running and math through to woodwork and engineering,' the GoFundMe page reads.
The tragic incident on Wednesday happened while he was walking to school, which was something Declan did every day, the page said.
'He was very cautious and sensible, always being courteous and following road rules when walking, cycling and running,' the GoFundMe says.
The page said Declan's younger brother and parents are 'still in deep shock, disbelief and grief' following the loss of their young family member.
'His chair which normally holds his school bag sits empty in the dining room. His hobbies, toys and Ipad remain untouched. His room is quiet and still. All that can be heard in the family home are quiet voices and deep sobbing,' it says.
'Declan was a quiet achiever at school and somewhat shy, but when he set his mind to do something, he went all in and excelled.'
In a letter to parents seen by The Courier Mail, Wynnum State High School Principal Sandra Quinn shared the news ''with a heavy heart'' of the tragic passing of one of the school's students.
'The student was a much-loved year nine male student and valued member of our Wynnum State High School community,' she said.
'I know that you will join me in offering our deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time.
'As a tight-knit school community, we share our shock and sadness at the enormity of this situation.'
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The Advertiser
19 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Attempted murder charges against wife of celebrated chef after house fire
A woman accused of trying to murder two children in a house fire has been identified as the wife of an Australian-based, internationally acclaimed chef. Hyun Ju Ahn, 37, was arrested on July 17 and charged with two counts of attempted murder after a fire at the family's Chadstone home in Melbourne's southeast on the night of May 21. She is married to Jae Bang, the head chef and owner of the celebrated Freyja restaurant on Collins Street in Melbourne's CBD. The couple and their two children, aged eight and ten, have lived in Melbourne for three years. Emergency services were called to a two-storey home on Terrigal Street in Chadstone at 9.40pm on May 21. A woman and two girls were rescued from the fire and taken to the hospital in a critical condition, police said. Detectives from the Arson and Explosives Squad investigated the fire and charged the 37-year-old woman with attempted murder after a two-month probe. Her case remains before Melbourne Magistrates' Court. A fundraiser, started almost a week before the charges were laid, had raised more than $20,000 to support the family. The GoFundMe page, organised by fellow chefs, said that Mr Bang was away from Melbourne on May 21. It said that the family was "unconscious when the firefighters rescued them". "The family is recovering, but they have no home, no other family in the area, and have many expenses to cover from the fire rescue and hospital stays," it said. The family has moved around the world as opportunities to work abroad arose. Mr Bang worked his way through some of the most respected kitchens in the US, Europe and Asia before moving to Australia in 2022 to open the Nordic-inspired restaurant. He told this masthead in April that, with such a busy schedule at the restaurant, the family relished their time together on the weekend. He said they loved sharing a meal at their favourite Chinese restaurant, Tung Wo, when they had time. A woman accused of trying to murder two children in a house fire has been identified as the wife of an Australian-based, internationally acclaimed chef. Hyun Ju Ahn, 37, was arrested on July 17 and charged with two counts of attempted murder after a fire at the family's Chadstone home in Melbourne's southeast on the night of May 21. She is married to Jae Bang, the head chef and owner of the celebrated Freyja restaurant on Collins Street in Melbourne's CBD. The couple and their two children, aged eight and ten, have lived in Melbourne for three years. Emergency services were called to a two-storey home on Terrigal Street in Chadstone at 9.40pm on May 21. A woman and two girls were rescued from the fire and taken to the hospital in a critical condition, police said. Detectives from the Arson and Explosives Squad investigated the fire and charged the 37-year-old woman with attempted murder after a two-month probe. Her case remains before Melbourne Magistrates' Court. A fundraiser, started almost a week before the charges were laid, had raised more than $20,000 to support the family. The GoFundMe page, organised by fellow chefs, said that Mr Bang was away from Melbourne on May 21. It said that the family was "unconscious when the firefighters rescued them". "The family is recovering, but they have no home, no other family in the area, and have many expenses to cover from the fire rescue and hospital stays," it said. The family has moved around the world as opportunities to work abroad arose. Mr Bang worked his way through some of the most respected kitchens in the US, Europe and Asia before moving to Australia in 2022 to open the Nordic-inspired restaurant. He told this masthead in April that, with such a busy schedule at the restaurant, the family relished their time together on the weekend. He said they loved sharing a meal at their favourite Chinese restaurant, Tung Wo, when they had time. A woman accused of trying to murder two children in a house fire has been identified as the wife of an Australian-based, internationally acclaimed chef. Hyun Ju Ahn, 37, was arrested on July 17 and charged with two counts of attempted murder after a fire at the family's Chadstone home in Melbourne's southeast on the night of May 21. She is married to Jae Bang, the head chef and owner of the celebrated Freyja restaurant on Collins Street in Melbourne's CBD. The couple and their two children, aged eight and ten, have lived in Melbourne for three years. Emergency services were called to a two-storey home on Terrigal Street in Chadstone at 9.40pm on May 21. A woman and two girls were rescued from the fire and taken to the hospital in a critical condition, police said. Detectives from the Arson and Explosives Squad investigated the fire and charged the 37-year-old woman with attempted murder after a two-month probe. Her case remains before Melbourne Magistrates' Court. A fundraiser, started almost a week before the charges were laid, had raised more than $20,000 to support the family. The GoFundMe page, organised by fellow chefs, said that Mr Bang was away from Melbourne on May 21. It said that the family was "unconscious when the firefighters rescued them". "The family is recovering, but they have no home, no other family in the area, and have many expenses to cover from the fire rescue and hospital stays," it said. The family has moved around the world as opportunities to work abroad arose. Mr Bang worked his way through some of the most respected kitchens in the US, Europe and Asia before moving to Australia in 2022 to open the Nordic-inspired restaurant. He told this masthead in April that, with such a busy schedule at the restaurant, the family relished their time together on the weekend. He said they loved sharing a meal at their favourite Chinese restaurant, Tung Wo, when they had time. 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Sky News AU
a day ago
- Sky News AU
'They have no home, no other family': Wife of top Melbourne chef revealed as mother accused of attempted murder of kids in Chadstone house fire
The wife of a top Melbourne chef has been revealed to be the mother accused of deliberately setting their home alight while two young girls were sleeping inside. Hyun Ju Ahn, 37, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder after a horror blaze engulfed a two-storey property on Terrigal Street in Chadstone on the morning of May 21, the Herald Sun reports. It has now been revealed she is the wife of Jae Bang, the executive chef at top Melbourne restaurant Freyja. The woman along with two girls, aged seven and eight at the time of the incident, were conveyed to hospital in a critical condition after firefighters forced entry into the home and found them unconscious on the first floor. Mr Bang was out of town when the incident unfolded with the Arson and Explosives Squad determining a gas cylinder had exploded inside the home which set it alight. "We believe [the fire] was from a gas cylinder … how that's come to explode is a matter for the investigation proper to unpack," Detective Inspector Chris Murray said. "Such an incident, where we have [an] explosion and fire, can be absolutely devastating." Following investigations, Ms Ahn was charged last week with two counts of attempt to commit murder and two counts of damage property by fire to endanger life. A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family cover ''many expenses'' with their home now lost to the tragic fire. "Chef Jae Bang (Freyja, Melbourne) lost his home to a fire while he was away. His wife and two daughters were sleeping when it happened, and they were unconscious when the firefighters rescued them," a post on GoFundMe reads. "They were seriously injured and have had extensive stays in the hospital. "The family is recovering, but they have no home, no other family in the area, and have many expenses to cover from the fire rescue and hospital stays." The fundraiser has collated more than $20,000 so far. Ms Ahn is currently recovering in hospital with burns to her hands, while the two girls were initially taken to hospital in a critical condition. Her husband, Mr Bang who is well known in the industry made his start in Seoul as a teenage dishy and trailblazed across the globe from San Sebastián to New York City to Stavanger – and now Melbourne. Previously Mr Bang said raising children while working in a restaurant is "a never-ending challenge, and it's not easy to manage". "Running a restaurant demands a significant amount of time, so my days off are crucial for dedicating my attention solely to my kids," he said. 'We prioritise spending quality time with each other. We do a lot of activities that I'm passionate about, such as camping in the wilderness, foraging in the mountains during peak season, skiing, rock climbing and, more recently, free diving.' A neighbour told the Herald Sun she remembered the family as being happy but largely keeping to themselves. Ms Ahn faced Melbourne Magistrates' Court last Friday.
The Advertiser
2 days ago
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Police deployed a tyre deflation device and the Commodore's two occupants allegedly dumped the vehicle on a rural road at Armstrong Creek, several suburbs to the northwest, before being arrested with the aid of Stryker. Titmarsh and Slade were charged with numerous dangerous driving, obstructing police, stolen property and motor vehicle theft offences. No current charges relate to firearms. They were due to face Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on Thursday. Acting magistrate David Shepherd heard Slade was unable to appear in court due to suffering dog bites that required surgery. "There's a note here that he's currently in the Royal Brisbane Hospital," Mr Shepherd said. Titmarsh's solicitor said the most serious charge alleged against his client was endangering the safe use of vehicles and related transport infrastructure, which carried a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if convicted. 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