Caleb is just a beautiful boy

PAINO FINDINGS: Grandfather and coroner praise emergency workers for saving baby

A CORONER and Sarah Paino’s father have praised the “outstanding efforts” that saved the woman’s unborn child. Ms Paino was 33 weeks pregnant when an unlicensed teen driving a stolen vehicle ran a red light at high speed and careened into her car.

The 24-year-old suffered massive neck and chest injuries in the crash on Davey St in January last year.

A coronial investigation into her death was released yesterday. In the report, Coroner Simon Cooper emphasised the critical role played by emergency responders in saving her baby.

After the “terrible motor crash” Ms Paino was quickly rushed to the Royal Hobart Hospital.

An emergency caesarean section was performed while CPR was still in progress, to deliver her baby.

“All resuscitation attempts ceased shortly after the baby, another son, Caleb, was delivered,” Mr Cooper said.

“Due to the outstanding efforts of the emergency service responders and medical staff at the Royal Hobart Hospital her baby was able to be safely delivered.

“All those emergency service responders — police officers, fire service personnel and ambulance paramedics — and medical staff are responsible for the fact that Caleb was able to be brought safely into the world.”

Ms Paino’s father Michael joined in paying tribute to the

workers who saved his grandson.

“They did a fantastic job, it’s a credit to them,” he told the Mercury.

“We enjoy Caleb, he is a beautiful young boy and Jordan [Ms Paino’s other son who was in the crash at the time but was uninjured].”

Mr Paino singled out southern crash investigator Kelly Cordwell for her investigation and communication with the family in the aftermath, saying she was “brilliant”.

The tragedy also sparked a an outpouring of grief and emotion among the Tasmanian, national and international communities. A fundraising campaign raised almost $600,000, with donations coming from all over Australia, the US, Europe and Asia

Now, 19 months after the crash, the loss of Ms Paino was still raw for her loved ones, her father said.

“You don’t come to terms with it, honestly it’s like a roller coaster,” he said.

“You have your ups and downs and when you think everything is settling to a point where your grief is manageable, you hit these speed bumps along the way.

“It kills you inside.”

Mr Paino said he hoped new dangerous driving legislation, inspired in part by Ms Paino's death, pass parliament for the families left suffering.

The teenager responsible for Ms Paino’s death is serving a five-year sentence for manslaughter.

Mr Cooper decided not to hold an inquest because the matter had been thoroughly investigated by police and had gone through the courts.

“To re-agitate the matter publicly would simply serve to increase the grief and distress of Mr Stirling and other members of Ms Paino’s family with no discernible public benefit arising,” he said.