Teenager sentenced after Sheree Robertson, Michale Chandler and Kelsie Davies die in horror Maryborough crash

A boy who caused the death of a church pastor, a dancer and a nurse in a horrific triple-fatal crash in Queensland’s Fraser Coast region will spend the next six years behind bars. The now 14-year-old, who cannot be identified under Queensland law, was behind the wheel of a stolen Mercedes-Benz when the car clipped the back of a Holden Astra on Saltwater Creek Rd in Maryborough, north of Brisbane, on the night of April 30, 2023. Occupational therapist and church pastor Michale Chandler, 29, was driving the Holden sedan carrying her passengers, dancer Kelsie Davies, 17, and a third woman, Kaylah Behrens. The crash forced the Holden Astra into the path of a Mazda 2, driven by nurse Sheree Robertson, 52, who was returning home after working a shift at Maryborough Hospital. Ms Chandler, Ms Davies and Ms Robertson all died at the scene, while Ms Behrens was hospitalised for 16 days with severe injuries. In July this year, the boy – who was 13 years old at the time of the horror fatal – entered pleas of guilty to a raft of charges, including dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and grievous bodily harm. Six years in detention for three lives Judge Gary Long SC sentenced the boy to six years in juvenile detention on Thursday. He ordered the boy serve at least 60 per cent of his sentence before he’s eligible for parole. The boy had served 583 days in pre-sentence custody. Maroochydore Childrens Court was told following his arrest, the teenager had told police he knew it was a “dumb thing to do” to drive at excessive speeds. He had told police he’d been speeding after he’d had a fight with his friends who refused to be in the stolen car with him. Police had found the boy curled up on the ground beside the stolen car after it had crashed into a tree nearby. The court was told the boy had told police he had crawled out of the damaged car and “waited for you guys to arrive (because) there was no point in running”. Judge Long said the group of juveniles had argued before “the others got out of the vehicle expressing fear for their lives”. The boy had told police this argument had angered him and he continued to drive at high speeds. About 10 minutes before the fatal crash, the boy had been observed driving the stolen car at excessive speeds of up to 200km/hr. He was seen by other drivers about 12.6km from where the crash occurred to have been driving at estimated speeds between 180km to 200km/hr, the court was told. Judge Long said despite the boy’s “egregious actions”, he must take into account his young age, lack of prior criminal history and his early pleas of guilty in sentencing. “That scene of devastation and carnage must have had a significant impact on those who came upon it and those who were called to it,” Judge Long said. He also noted the impact on the victims’ friends and family will be also ongoing. Crown Prosecutor Chris Cook had argued the boy should serve the maximum sentence of seven years. Convictions are recorded for dangerous driving causing death or grievous bodily harm and unlawful use of a motor vehicle at night. Convictions for his other offences will not be recorded, the court was told. Family’s ongoing grief Outside of court, Ms Robertson’s sister Lisa said she was left disappointed knowing the boy would be released back into the community within two years. “There’s no faith in the justice system anymore, he’s out within two years and how much is my sister’s life plus the other girls’, it’s just not fair,” she said. “We knew it was going to be a small sentence but we were just hoping for more. “It’s a relief that it’s all over (the court proceedings) and we just have to move on the best as we can.”