Family’s plea for answers 18 months after son killed in M61 crash

David Eubank, 20, from Horwich, was killed instantly in a crash on the M61 near Rivington Services at around 11.40pm on October 15, 2024.

David Eubank, 202, died in a car crash on the M61 (Image: Public)

He had been travelling in the back seat of a Citroen C1 when it crashed in two vehicle collision.

Eighteen months on, the family are still waiting to find out what happened and David’s father, Steven, says the family remain “stuck in limbo”, unable to properly grieve.

“It never leaves you,” he said.

“It’s with you every minute of every day. Losing a child is the worst thing that can happen to anyone, nothing prepares you for it.

“You expect to lose your parents, your grandparents, maybe even your partner. But nobody ever conditions you to lose your child.”

Steven described the past year and a half as deeply traumatic, made worse by what he says has been a lack of communication from police.

Steven said: “They were treating it like a bike was stolen, I said you can’t just give me a crime number and fob me off.

“It’s been 18 months and we’ve been left in the dark,” Steven said.

“Months go by with no contact. There’s no sense of urgency at all.

“You see on the news that families are supported by specially trained officers but that just hasn’t been our experience. It’s been appalling.”

The family’s heartbreak was compounded last month when David’s mother, Jennifer Hindley, died aged 56 after a long battle with cancer.

Jenifer Hindley, who died without seeking justice for her son David (Image: Public)

She passed away at Bolton Hospital on March 29, having been seriously ill for several weeks.

Jennifer had first been diagnosed with leukaemia at just 19 and went on to battle cancer three times.

The long-term effects of her treatment, including radiotherapy, caused lasting damage to her heart and lungs.

Despite undergoing major heart surgery in December, she died from heart failure.

Steven believes the emotional toll of losing David and the lack of progress in the case had a devastating impact on her.

“She’d fought cancer all her life,” he said.

“But after David died, it was like the fight just went out of her.

“She said to us, ‘I’ve had enough now.’ And I truly believe not getting any answers about David made that so much harder for her.”

He added: “She went to her grave without seeing any justice for her son. That’s something we have to live with.”

Jenifer battled cancer for decades before her death (Image: Public)

Jennifer was described as “full of life”, “colourful” and deeply loved by everyone who knew her.

Her journey into motherhood made David’s death even more painful for the family.

After being told as a teenager that cancer treatment would likely leave her unable to have children, Jennifer was later stunned to discover she was pregnant with twins.

“It was unbelievable,” Steven said.

“We’d already accepted we might never have children and then not only did she fall pregnant, but it was twins. It felt like a miracle.”

“To go through all of that, to be told you might never have children, then to be given two it made them everything,” he said.

“That’s why losing David is just, it’s impossible to put into words.”

The crash also left a front seat passenger with life-changing injuries.

While David’s twin brother, Adam, is now being supported by family members as a vulnerable adult.

Steven says the ongoing lack of answers has left the family unable to move forward.

“We’re still in shock,” he said.

“There’s no closure. You can’t even begin to process it properly because you’re still waiting.

“It just never stops. The grief doesn’t leave you and neither does the frustration.”

A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: “First and foremost, our thoughts remain with David’s family and friends at this time.

“A now 22-year-old man was interviewed under caution for causing death by dangerous driving.

“He has been released under investigation.

“A file was prepared for and passed to the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration.”