‘She was the pride of our family’: Uncle of 17-year-old student who died in 2024 Tampines crash

Published Oct 05, 2026, 03:58 PM

Updated Oct 05, 2026, 03:58 PM

A 17-year-old student died in a fatal Tampines crash caused by a driver who was sentenced to 12 years and nine months' jail with a lifetime driving ban.

The student’s mother suffers from major depression and PTSD, while her father was badly injured and lost consciousness during the accident.

Her uncle described her as caring and hardworking, hoping the sentencing brings accountability and deters similar tragedies in the future.

SINGAPORE - As others celebrated Hari Raya over the past two years, the family of the 17-year-old student killed in the 2024 Tampines collision could only mark the occasion in quiet grief.

Although they tried to avoid painful reminders of what happened, her name would inevitably be mentioned whenever the family reminisced about happy memories, her uncle said.

On Oct 5, the student’s uncle, 39, spoke to The Straits Times after the driver responsible for the crash was sentenced to jail that morning.

Said her uncle: “We’re just trying to get by, and cannot bring ourselves to discuss what happened that day. She was the pride of our family, and we miss her.”

The student cannot be identified due to a gag order imposed by the court on all victims of the accident below 18. Her uncle, who is her mother’s brother, also cannot be named to protect her identity.

Her uncle was in court with his parents as Muhammad Syafie Ismail, 45, was sentenced to 12 years and nine months’ jail for causing the fatal chain collision in Tampines on April 22, 2024. Syafie was also handed a lifetime driving ban.

The student died in the crash while on her way to take part in her school’s annual cross-country event as she sat in a car driven by her father.

Norzihan Juwahib, 57, a senior technician at a pest control firm who was a passenger in a van on her way to work, also died in the accident.

Eight others were injured, including two 11-year-old boys.

The court heard that the girl’s mother has struggled with major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder since the crash.

The girl’s father lost consciousness upon impact and only learnt in hospital that his daughter had died .

Holding hands one last time

Recalling the morning of the accident, the girl’s uncle said: “I woke up to 20 missed calls that my brother-in-law was in an accident. At the time, I was told that my niece was missing.

“Our family thought she could have already been dropped off at school, so we tried to call her but she didn’t pick up. It was only when I was on my way to the hospital that I was told she was gone.”

The court heard that when the girl’s father regained consciousness in hospital, his first question was: “Where is my daughter?”

When he was told she did not make it, he broke down.

The girl’s uncle said: “They brought him to see her. But he was lying on the bed with so many bandages and casts he could not even turn to look at her. He could only hold her hand one last time.”

The uncle said since Syafie was charged in court three days after the accident, the girl’s parents have not been able to bring themselves to attend any of the hearings.

In court, the details of the accident were laid out, including the impact the crash had on the victims and their families.

“But no words can describe the grief my family is going through,” said her uncle.

When asked how he wanted his niece to be remembered, her uncle said: “She was someone who always put others first before herself. She gave it her all in school, but she always had time for the people she loved despite her busy schedule.”

Even though the court case has concluded, her uncle said their family still needs time to heal.

He said: “After today, it’s difficult to say there’s closure. But we know there’s been accountability.

“Hopefully with the sentencing, it serves as a deterrence and no other family will have to go through what we went through.”

Nadine Chua is a correspondent covering crime and court at The Straits Times.

发布于 2026 年 10 月 5 日下午 3:58

更新于2026年10月5日下午3:58

一名 17 岁学生在淡滨尼发生的一起致命车祸中丧生，肇事司机被判处 12 年零 9 个月监禁，并终身禁止驾驶。

这名学生的母亲患有重度抑郁症和创伤后应激障碍，而她的父亲在事故中受了重伤并失去了知觉。

她的叔叔形容她善良勤劳，希望判决能追究责任，防止未来发生类似的悲剧。

新加坡——过去两年，当其他人都在庆祝开斋节时，在2024年淡滨尼车祸中丧生的17岁学生的家人只能在默默的悲痛中庆祝这个节日。

她的叔叔说，虽然他们努力避免回忆起那件痛苦的事情，但每当家人回忆起快乐的往事时，她的名字总是不可避免地会被提及。

10 月 5 日，肇事司机当天上午被判入狱后，这名学生的叔叔（39 岁）接受了《海峡时报》的采访。

她的叔叔说：“我们现在只想好好过日子，实在无法面对那天发生的事情。她是全家的骄傲，我们都很想念她。”

由于法院对所有未满 18 岁的事故受害者下达了禁言令，因此无法透露该学生的身份。为了保护她的身份，她的舅舅（母亲的兄弟）的姓名也不能公开。

她的叔叔和他的父母一起出庭，45岁的穆罕默德·沙菲·伊斯梅尔因在2024年4月22日于淡滨尼造成致命连环车祸而被判处12年零9个月监禁。沙菲还被终身禁止驾驶。

这名女学生在前往参加学校一年一度的越野赛途中遭遇车祸身亡，当时她坐在父亲驾驶的汽车里。

57 岁的 Norzihan Juwahib 是一家害虫防治公司的高级技术员，事发时她乘坐面包车去上班，也在事故中丧生。

另有八人受伤，其中包括两名 11 岁男孩。

法庭获悉，自车祸发生以来，女孩的母亲一直饱受重度抑郁症和创伤后应激障碍的折磨。

女孩的父亲在撞击中失去知觉，直到在医院才得知女儿已经去世。

最后一次牵手

回忆起事故发生的那天早上，女孩的叔叔说：“我醒来时发现有20个未接来电，说我妹夫出了车祸。当时，我却被告知我侄女失踪了。”

“我们家人以为她可能已经被送到学校了，所以我们试着给她打电话，但她没接。直到我赶往医院的路上，才得知她已经去世了。”

法庭获悉，女孩的父亲在医院恢复意识后，问的第一个问题是：“我的女儿在哪里？”

当他得知她没能活下来时，他崩溃了。

女孩的叔叔说：“他们带他来看她。但他躺在床上，身上缠满了绷带和石膏，连转过身去看她都做不到。他只能最后一次握住她的手。”

叔叔说，自从事故发生三天后 Syafie 被起诉以来，女孩的父母一直无法鼓起勇气参加任何一次庭审。

法庭上详细列出了事故经过，包括车祸对受害者及其家人造成的影响。

“但任何言语都无法形容我的家人正在经历的悲痛，”她的叔叔说。

当被问及希望人们如何记住他的侄女时，她的叔叔说：“她总是把别人放在第一位。她在学校里全力以赴，但尽管日程繁忙，她也总会抽出时间陪伴她爱的人。”

尽管法庭案件已经结束，但她的叔叔说，他们一家人仍然需要时间来疗伤。

他说：“今天之后，很难说这件事就此结束。但我们知道有人为此承担了责任。”

“希望这次判决能起到震慑作用，让其他家庭不必经历我们所经历的痛苦。”

Nadine Chua是《海峡时报》负责报道犯罪和法庭新闻的记者。