Dear Caroline You had gone into town to be with your friends by the time I had returned home. Our last words were spoken on the phone and I wanted to say come home I have missed you. But I never said those words that may have changed everything instead I agreed to pick you up at 6.00pm. During that fateful afternoon I became increasingly worried about you for no apparent reason and I couldn't shake off the feeling that you were in danger. Then after 5.00pm the feeling lessened but I felt relieved that is was time to collect you. But you wasn't there and so began the nightmare of frantically trying to find you. Phoning your friends and then finding out that you were seen getting into a car with the others. Whose car? I was told his name and my blood ran cold and deep down I knew something had happened. There was no way you wouldn't have got in contact if there had been a change of plan. One of your friends took me to his flat but he wasn't there only his flat mate. As we drove away I saw a police car. I wanted to stop and ask but was too scared. Instead I kept telling myself you would be okay. I returned home in hopes that you might have come back or there would be a message for me to pick you up. But nothing. Then the door bell rang and I saw the police car. He was standing on the drive talking into his phone, and standing next to him was this guys flat mate. I remember I couldn't stop shaking and then I heard the words I dreaded. There has been a car accident. He told me that it was serious and there were fatalities but he did not have any other details. Just that I had to get to the hospital straight away. Dennis drove me first to Rob, your Dad. I remember I couldn't stop banging on his door. Luckily my brother Jamie & Jo were with him so Jamie said he would bring your Dad whilst I went ahead with Dennis. It must have been the longest journey of my life and deep down I knew you were already dead. But when we arrived at the hospital they told me you were still alive but in theatre with severe chest and leg injuries. We were shown to an empty ward with all the other families. I sat with your boyfriend Michael's mother and she told me that Michael was in theatre but they had only given him a 50/50 chance of survial. Then she told me that Claire and Ankles had both been killed and my heart went out to their families. Asa's mum arrived and I remember Dennis went over to talk to her as she sat crying. Every so often the nurse would arrive to give us an update. She said you were in intensive care and once they had your breathing stabilised I could see you. But I sensed something was wrong as she seemed anxious and guarded and as the time dragged on it seemed like forever since anyone had spoken to us. Then a different nurse arrived and called Dennis outside. Rob and I looked at each other both to frightened to articulate our fears, and when Dennis didn't return we went in search of him and the nurse for information. Those endless corridors. I searched and searched and as I did so I prayed harder and harder 'please God let her be okay'. Then we found the nurse. She told us to wait until she had taken 'the other parents' up to the intensive care unit. I watched her walk away and puzzled over whose parents they were. We were shown into a side room full of police officers who quietly left. Then she returned and uttered the words 'the girl in intensive care is not Caroline, it is Claire'. I knew then without a shadow of doubt that you were dead my beautiful Caroline and had been all the time. But it hadn't been until Claire's parents arrived to identify her that the mistake was realised although I am convinced the nurse suspected as she had seen to your body when they brought you to the hospital and you looked so much like us. Whereas Claire was a completely different looking girl. They told me they had taken Dennis to identify you before telling your Dad and I, and I was angry then and demanded to see you. You were my baby and I wasn't leaving that hospital until I had seen you for myself. When they pulled back the curtains in the mortuary I rushed in. You lay there without a mark on your face as if you were sleeping but as I approached I could see your eyes were half open like you were peeping at us from under those thick dark lashes. I reached out to hug you to me and recoiled in horror as you felt like cold marble instead of my warm cuddly girl. I remember no more but your Dad told me a long time later that I screamed and cried that I wanted my baby back and for someone to go and get the driver to wake you up because I couldn't. A long time later we left the hospital and as we walked away your Dad turned and asked the time. It was gone midnight. He looked at me and said 'it's your birthday'. I have never celebrated it since. How could I. My darling girl you were my life. Mum x