Investigation following misidentification of two people involved in fatal Rotherham crash

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has begun an investigation into the circumstances around the misidentification of two young people involved in a fatal collision in Rotherham.

It follows a collision on Todwick Road in Rotherham on 13 December 2025 in which a 17-year-old girl and Joshua Johnson, 18, sadly died. A 17-year-old boy remains in hospital receiving treatment for injuries sustained in the collision.

We were informed by South Yorkshire Police (SYP) on Tuesday (6 January) that initially police had incorrectly informed the family of the 17-year-old boy that he had died, and told the family of Joshua Johnson he was sedated in hospital.

We have now begun an independent investigation, which will look at the actions and decision-making of police involved in the identification process.

IOPC Director Emily Barry said: “My sincere condolences and thoughts go out to all those involved. It’s hard to imagine what these families have been through in the past few weeks. It is clear something has gone very wrong with awful consequences for them.

“We understand the concern about this incident and it is vital that we carry out a thorough investigation, independently of the police, to establish exactly how and why this happened.

“We will carefully examine the circumstances regarding the identification of individuals following the collision, including what policies and procedures were in place and whether they were followed appropriately, to determine the facts and identify any learning arising from this tragic situation.”