Louis Thorold: Family lodges complaint into 'shambles' investigation

Louis Thorold was pictured with his mother Rachael just hours before the crash

The parents of a baby killed when a van hit his pram have lodged a formal complaint over the police investigation, calling it a "shambles".

Rachael Thorold was walking with five-month-old Louis by the A10 in Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire, last January, when they were both hit.

Her son died at the scene and Mrs Thorold suffered serious injuries.

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire Police said the force would continue to "seek justice for Louis".

In a letter sent to the BBC and a number of authorities, the family said it had now lodged a complaint with the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

The IOPC confirmed it had received the complaint.

Mrs Thorold and her husband Chris said the decision was "our last resort in an attempt to get justice for the crimes committed".

Louis died at the scene of the crash in January 2021

"The police have frankly been a shambles throughout this, allowing prejudice and discrimination to leak into a complex investigation and cutting corners that have led to delays," the letter reads.

"At this point over 11 months after Louis died, no-one has been interviewed, arrested or charged for any crime against Louis and Rachael."

The Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Road Policing Unit has been heavily criticised in recent years over lengthy delays in crash investigations, described by one crown court judge as "totally and utterly unacceptable".

Mrs Thorold, pictured leaving hospital, described her recovery as "slow and painful"

Mrs Thorold suffered multiple fractures and a brain injury after the crash on 22 January 2021.

The driver of a van collided with another car before mounting the pavement and hitting the mother and child.

Mrs Thorold spent 10 days in a coma and 118 days in hospital, with her husband describing her survival as "miraculous".

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The police spokesman said a "thorough investigation" had been carried out, with a file now submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

"Unfortunately, due to factors outside our control, we have not been able to interview a driver of one of the vehicles involved and no-one has yet been charged," he said.

"We will continue to work with the CPS in our efforts to seek justice for Louis and his family following this tragic and extremely sad incident."

Mr Thorold set up the Louis Thorold Foundation in his son's memory, with the aim of preventing infant pedestrian deaths.

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