Maryborough crash: three women dead as second teen charged over stolen car

A stolen Mercedes-Benz claimed three lives within two hours of being taken from a Maryborough home on Sunday, as police charge a second teenager in connection with the vehicle's theft.

The car was taken at 8:40pm before being involved in a fatal collision roughly 120 minutes later. Three women died at the scene: Sheree Robertson, 52, a nurse; Kelsie Davies, 17; and pastor Michale Chandler, 29. A fourth woman, Kaylah Behrens, 23, remains in critical condition with serious injuries sustained in the impact.

Two boys, both aged 13, have now been charged. A Bundaberg teenager was charged earlier this week with three counts of dangerous driving causing death and unlawful use of a motor vehicle, and has been refused bail. A second 13-year-old from Maryborough, police allege, assisted in stealing the vehicle but was not inside it at the time of the crash.

The Maryborough boy has been charged with two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, driving without a licence, and possessing dangerous drugs. He is expected to face court later this month.

The scale of the tragedy has sparked significant community outrage on the Fraser Coast. The swift transition from vehicle theft to multiple fatalities within the span of two hours underscores the dangers inherent in young offenders accessing high-powered vehicles.

Police investigations found no evidence that any passenger fled the stolen car following the crash. The incident has intensified ongoing debate about youth crime in Queensland, with the state government under fresh pressure to explain its response to juvenile offending and the circumstances that allowed two young teenagers to be involved in such a serious chain of events.

Ms Robertson had been driving home following a shift at a local hospital when the crash occurred. The loss of three lives across distinctly different age groups—a teenager, a young professional, and an established community figure—has resonated deeply within the local area, particularly given the involvement of such young offenders in the chain of events leading to the tragedy.