People lay flowers at the site where a heavily pregnant woman and her baby have died following a collision with an unmarked police car(Image: PA)

Tributes to 'amazing Mariam' - pregnant mum killed in crash with unmarked police car

Flowers in tribute to the woman, named only as Mariam, have been left at the scene of the crash, describing "the most amazing wife, mummy, daughter, sister and friend"

by · The Mirror

People have paid tribute to a pregnant woman who was killed along with her unborn baby in a devastating crash involving an unmarked police car.

An eyewitness to the horror crash in on the A20 in Eltham, southeast London, said officers were driving at "about 70 or 80mph" when the crash happened, killing the woman, named as Miriam, at about 6.15pm on Thursday.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed an unmarked police vehicle had been involved in the collision but did not clarify whether the vehicle had been responding to an emergency at the time. The force said an investigation had been launched into the incident.

An eyewitness, who spoke while laying tributes at the scene of the crash on Friday, said she had been in her car, right behind the victim’s car, while waiting to make the same turn into Sutcliffe Park Leisure Centre when the crash happened.

Flowers left to the woman, named only as Mariam, have been left at the scene of the crash outside Sutcliffe Park Sports Centre. One tribute reads: "Mariam - The most amazing wife, mummy, daughter, sister and friend. Having you in our lives was such a blessing. You were a real life angel on earth and our lives will never be the same again. We promise to always look after your family.

Flowers at the scene near the A20 and Kidbrooke Park Road in Eltham, south-east London( Image: PA)

"Baby - we never got to meet you but we know that you and mummy are together looking after each other you will always be in our hearts.

"Sleep tight our friend and bubba. We love you beyond words."

The witness, who did not wish to be identified, told the Mirror: "The police car probably hit her vehicle at about 70mph or 80mph, but I think they had been travelling faster than that before they braked.

“She stood no chance. If we hadn’t stopped at a traffic light or somewhere else for a few seconds it could have been us - it was terrifying. The car just went flying. It smashed over on its roof and went over three times. We went over to her after the crash and she was breathing."

Flowers left in memory of the pregnant woman and her child killed in a car crash with an unmarked police car( Image: PA)

“Her husband came running out the gate by the leisure centre with their daughter and was screaming her name and talking to her. He said to her to carry on breathing. Someone took the daughter away into the park. I think she was aged about six or seven.

“They put sheets round the woman while the trauma team worked on her. They said they were delivering the baby. When they left we asked if they had survived, but they said they didn’t know. It was only today that I found out when my friend told me. I just feel so sorry for the man. He was expecting a new baby in a week and now he’s lost half his family.”

IOPC regional director Mel Palmer said: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have died and all of those affected by this tragic incident. "It is important we establish all of the circumstances surrounding this incident and our investigation is in its very early stages. This is a busy road, and the collision happened in the early evening when people are likely to have been travelling.

"We would like to hear from anyone who was in the vicinity at the time and may have witnessed the incident or the moments leading up to it. Anyone who saw anything or has footage is encouraged to get in touch with our investigators."