Appeal for girl whose family died in A61 crash passes £200k – MASHAHER

More than £229,000 has been raised for an 11-year-old girl whose parents and two sisters were killed in a crash.

Shane Roller and his partner Shannen Morgan along with their daughters Rubie, nine, and Lillie, four, died when their Ford Focus collided with a motorbike on the A61 between Wakefield and Barnsley on Sunday.

The couple had another daughter, aged 11, who is understood not to have been with them at the time of the crash.

A GoFundMe campaign, set up by Paul Hepple, said the youngster had “lost her whole world in an instant”.

So far more than 13,000 donations totalling just over £229,000 have been made to help the couple’s surviving daughter to “ensure she has a stable, loving environment where she can heal and grow”.

In an update earlier, Mr Hepple said he was close friends with the family and the 11-year-old girl was best friends with his stepdaughter.

He said the money would go to the youngster’s aunt, who would be her new guardian.

“[She] will be staying and living with her auntie, who is an amazing, loving, and capable guardian,” he said.

Mr Hepple said she would be “entirely responsible for managing the donations” and they would be used for the youngster’s “well-being, including her living expenses, education, and any counselling she may need”.

Mr Hepple said some of the money may be used to cover funeral expenses, depending on the family’s wishes.

He added: “The love and support we have received from all of you have been truly overwhelming, and we are deeply grateful.”

The crash happened between Staincross and Newmillerdam at about 15:55 BST and the road remains shut between Shaw Lane and Warren Lane.

The man and woman on the motorbike also died at the scene, but West Yorkshire Police said it was not yet in a position to name them.

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