The severity of sorrow was intolerable.
At the exact location where their five friends had died so brutally just hours earlier, they gathered in silence to express their sorrow.
It began early in the morning with a trickle of children paying their respects at the scene where the ute driven by Tyrell Edwards, 18, crashed into trees on Tuesday night, killing five of his young teenage friends.
Lily van de Putte, age 15, Antonio Desisto, age 15, Summer Williams, age 14, Tyrese Bechard, age 16, and an unnamed 14-year-old girl who cannot be named for legal reasons all perished.
Some came alone, some with a parent, and some with friends, supporting one another as they shed tears for those they will never see again.
But soon before lunch, the trickle turned into a deluge. It appeared that every adolescent in Buxton, 100 kilometers south-west of Sydney, had traveled to the terrible crash site.
The severity of sorrow was intolerable. At the exact location where five classmates had died tragically just hours earlier, classmates and friends gathered in silence to express their sorrow. Tuesday night, schoolchildren paid their respects at the site where the pickup truck driven by 18-year-old Tyrell Edwards collided with trees, killing his five young teenage children.
Tyrese Bechard (left), 16 years old, was tragically murdered in the accident; he desired a crafts apprenticeship. Summer Williams was 14 years old (right)
For many, it was a lesson in rapid maturation and facing unfathomable loss. Children too young to shave or vote were faced with a tragedy that no one should ever have to experience.
They endured it well. Parents in Buxton and the nearby rural hamlets of Thirlmere and Tahmoor should be pleased with their boys and daughters today.
They embraced, wept, and embraced one another, and then sat silently in a circle at the base of the scarred tree for what seemed like an eternity.
There were no sentimental or dramatic performances, nor were there any disrespectful selfies or livestreams. This was the pride of Australia observing a moment of intense, overwhelming sadness in respectful, introspective stillness.
They encircled the floral tributes with heartbreaking expressions of love and sorrow, which had continued to grow since Tuesday at 8 p.m., when the horrible crash occurred.
To the sea of flowers and bouquets were added cuddly animals, soccer balls, and the sneakers and hoodie sweatshirt of one of the fatalities, Antonio Desisto, who was 16 years old.
A homemade cross commemorating the young lives lost has been affixed to the second of the two trees that fatally entangled the ute and tore it apart, killing everyone inside except for the driver, Tyrell Edwards.
As they laid flowers at the scene, the deceased’s friends were overtaken with emotion.
Also scattered among the flowers were the shattered fragments of a green P plate thought to have been on the pickup truck at the time of the accident.
Just a few metres away, the road still bore the apparent scars where the truck is claimed to have rolled onto its side, at first appearing straight, and then suddenly, violently, and fatally veering into the wayside trees.
A homemade cross commemorating the young lives lost has been affixed to the second of the two trees that fatally entangled the ute and tore it apart, killing everyone inside except for the driver, Tyrell Edwards.
Even the abundance of flowers at the accident site could not mask the stink of diesel that permeated the sawdust used to clean up the horrific damage.
Since Tuesday evening’s tragic crash at 8 p.m., the amount of floral tributes bearing heartbreaking words of love and sorrow has continued to rise at the site.
The catastrophe has served as a swift lesson in maturing quickly and facing unfathomable horror.
Kiana Apps, age 17, recalls with fondness her friendship with two of the victims, Summer Williams, age 15, and Antonio Desisto, age 16.
She told Daily Mail Australia, “Antonio was a bit of a reckless and adventurous child, but he was always wanting to make you smile and always being stupid.”
And Summer was the loveliest girl imaginable. She had the worst attitude and was quite sassy; it’s so unfortunate.
We had so many sleepovers and ran around the neighborhood together. It just sucks.’
She continued, ‘It’s such a small, close-knit community. As soon as I heard about it on the radio, I had a strong feeling I knew who would be involved.
They were to me like family. Summer was like a member of my family, and my younger cousin was Antonio’s closest companion.
So many individuals are going to be touched by this.
Some came alone, some with a parent, and some came for mutual support.
Also included in the sea of flowers and bouquets were plush animals, soccer balls, and the shoes and sweatshirt of one of the fatalities, Antonio Desisto, 16 years old.
Before the collision, driver Tyrrell Edwards (left) and victim Antonio Desisto (right) are seen together.
Amid the end, there were no more tears left to shed in the gathered crowd.
The adolescents, some in varied school uniforms and others in more casual attire, slowly rose to their feet and, with one more impassioned knuckle-bite or tight embrace, left as silently and politely as they had entered.
However, it will be quite some time before they can ever completely move on. This catastrophe will forever haunt them all.
Heartbreaking moment As he mourns his ‘best buddy’ and posts devastating videos of his ‘happy and modest son,’ the father of a 16-year-old boy died in a car crash sobs and says, “I have to visit my kid at the f***ing mortuary”
On Tuesday night in Buxton, New South Wales, a horrifying auto accident claimed the lives of five youngsters.
Antonio Desisto, age 16, was one of the teens killed, leaving his devastated father Exaven.
Mr. Desisto wept in court on Thursday as the driver’s bail was denied.
18-year-old Tyrell Edwards was driving the vehicle when it crashed into a tree.
The father of a child who was murdered in a car crash that also claimed the lives of four other teenagers cried outside of court, saying, “I have to visit my son at the f***ing morgue” and paying respect to his “best friend.”
Tuesday night, Exaven Desisto lost his 16-year-old son Antonio when the Nissan ute he was driving collided with a tree on East Parade in the small town of Buxton, 100 kilometers southwest of Sydney.
Antonio was one of five teenagers between the ages of 14 and 16 who were killed that night; the only survivor was the 18-year-old driver, Tyrell Edwards.
Edwards was charged with five counts of reckless driving resulting in death and bail was denied when he appeared via video link in Picton Local Court on Thursday afternoon.
He was carried in handcuffs in a prison vehicle to Silverwater’s Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre.
Before the incident, Edwards allegedly recorded a Snapchat video of himself forcefully spinning the steering wheel and swerving at 90 km/h.
Mr. Desisto has granted Daily Mail Australia permission to publish Antonio’s identity; therefore, Daily Mail Australia may now reveal his identity.
On Thursday, Exaven Desisto, the father of victim Antonio, wept outside of court.
Antonio was one of five teens between the ages of 14 and 16 who were killed that night, with 18-year-old driver Tyrell Edwards being the only survivor.
Lily Van De Putte, 15, was one of five teenagers murdered Tuesday night when their vehicle collided with a tree.
Edwards was brought in handcuffs to the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre in Silverwater.
Police will also allege that a witness heard Edwards say, “I f***ed up, I’m going to jail” after the horrific crash.
During his bail hearing on Thursday, the court heard that Edwards had previously committed speeding violations that resulted in the suspension of his license twice.
Mr. Desisto wept in court when the Edwards case was discussed.
Outside, the distraught father embraced police officers and told the Daily Mail Australia and other media that his son was his “best friend.”
He never actually left my side. I had a few close friends, but my son was my best buddy,’ he remarked, visibly overcome with emotion.
“We did everything together, I raised him, and he was the happiest, most modest child.” He used to pray prior to every meal he consumed.
Mr. Desisto expressed his anguish over never being able to see his son again.
He stated, “I have to visit my son in a f***ing morgue.”
Tuesday night, 100 kilometers southwest of Sydney, a horrific tragedy claimed the lives of five teens.
When the case of Edwards was mentioned in court, Mr. Desisto wept and referred to his son as his ‘best friend.’
Mr. Desisto also expressed his sorrow about never being able to see his son again.
Outside court the shattered father hugged police officers, as he described his son as his ‘best friend’
In one of the videos he uploaded of his son, Mr. Desisto can be seen mocking Antonio as he lifts weights in the gym.
The second image depicted Antonio dancing at a cafe while his father smiled behind the camera.
Mr. Desisto stated that individuals responsible must be held responsible for their acts.
According to court records, authorities will argue that film from inside the car capturing the kids minutes before the collision.
Approximately an hour before the collision, surveillance footage allegedly shows Edwards holding his phone while turning the steering wheel aggressively.
According to court documents, loud music can also be heard, with passengers laughing as the vehicle veered at 90 km/h.
One male allegedly stated, ‘Cuz, we’re about to spin out’
According to witnesses, the vehicle was traveling at “high speeds” and on the wrong side of the road prior to the collision.
Thursday during Tyrell Edwards’ first court appearance in Picton, in Sydney’s south-west, a sizable gathering of supporters were present.
The impact of the collision, which was so intense that a rear seat was thrown from the vehicle, is believed to have torn open the rear cabin.
Edwards reportedly was unable to extricate himself from the collision, while another victim was trapped in the passenger seat.
Edwards allegedly told detectives during an interview that the steering wheel began’shaking’ and that he lost control of the vehicle.
He claimed he was unable to control the vehicle and tried to apply the brakes without success. The police assert that roadside evidence from the crime scene contradicts his account.
In addition, the driver allegedly stated he was unaware of the fifth passenger’s entry into the vehicle.
Edwards appeared emotionless in court via video link while wearing a black sweatshirt and clasping his hands together.
The court heard that he acquired his provisional license in February of last year, but has since had it suspended twice for speeding violations.
Wednesday morning, friends of the five students murdered on Tuesday visited the crash site.
Magistrate Mark Douglass stated that the decision to refuse bail was “not made lightly,” but he considered Edwards’ driving record.
Mr. Douglass stated, “Given the egregious breach of trust and the flagrant violation of traffic laws that police believe occurred, this court has little confidence that this individual will comply with any bail conditions established at this time, given the history I’ve outlined.”
The court heard that Edwards, a laborer, had a history of anxiousness and was “traumatized” by the occurrence.
The court will next hear from Edwards on November 16. He has no past convictions. He will receive mental health services while incarcerated.
His family was there in court, but they did not speak to the waiting media.
Back in Buxton, friends, family, and classmates continue to grieve for the five teens killed in the horrific accident.
Tuesday night, the pickup truck collided with a tree when two of the adolescents were in a relationship and several were wearing school uniforms.
The father of one of the victims, 15-year-old Lily Van De Putte, stated that he has been troubled by a text message she sent him just hours before the tragedy, in which she requested, “Dad, can I go out tonight?”
He did not receive the message since he was hospitalized for an unrelated problem.