A mother and father died in a horror car crash leaving their four children orphaned.

Kreshar and Andrew Francis Sheehan were driving along State Highway 1 in Otago, New Zealand, together with three of their four children when they collided with another car on Monday afternoon.

In the crash, which occurred on the part of the road known as the death mile, both the mother and the father died instantly. The driver of the other vehicle, John Banbury, was airlifted to the hospital but sadly succumbed to his injuries.

The three children who were in the car with their parents all suffered serious injuries and were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

“It is with a heavy heart that we share the sudden passing of our beautiful Kreshar Dannielle Sheehan and our beloved Andrew Francis Sheehan,” the family said in a statement after the fatal crash.

“We thank those who have reached out already and those who have kept our family in your prayers. It has been an overwhelming response and no words can articulate how grateful we are for the outpour of love and support.

“We ask for your patience as we navigate the next few days as a family before we make an announcement of upcoming services.”

Speaking out were also the loved ones of Banbury who revealed that the man was a respected businessman and accountant.

“We’re terribly sad that he has succumbed to his injuries. He was a very well-respected accountant, he was tremendously good at his job,” his ex, Jayne Tyson, said.

“He was a great fisherman and hunter and played golf and all that sort of stuff, loved the outdoors.”

Thanking well-wishers for words of support was also the man’s son, Jeff, who posted: “Sorry to those of you finding out this way but dad passed away yesterday. He was with family in Dunedin hospital. Thank you to all of you who reached out to us over the past days.”

As of this writing, the circumstances leading to the fatal accident remain under investigation. Our thoughts remain with the victims’ loved ones during this challenging time.