Woorabinda: Small Outback town is rocked by four deaths in as many days as two young children, a teenager and now a school teacher all meet a tragic end: ‘Our community has gone through so much’

A small Aboriginal community has been rocked by the death of a much-loved resident, compounding a week of tragedy in which two young children and a 19-year-old died.

Kathryn Williams, affectionately known as KC, died on Monday, prompting Woorabinda, a town in south central Queensland with a population of around 1,000, to close its school.

The death comes just days after two young children died in a hot car and a 19-year-old crashed fatally into a tree.

Ms Williams died at Rockhampton Hospital, about 170km north of Woorabinda, after becoming disabled on Saturday.

“Our deepest condolences to the friends and families of beloved KC (Kathryn Williams),” Wadja Wadja High School shared Monday.

‘Respectfully, school will be closed for Tuesday 14/11/2023.’

Tributes on social media to Ms Williams, who has two sons, have poured in, with many reflecting on the devastating time the town has experienced.

“Kathryn Williams, we’re supposed to grow old together, I don’t know who I’m going to run with again. Me and you would sit and talk for hours, I will be forever grateful that you always listened to me,” wrote his friend Bowlie Cameron.

Earlier, he wrote a heartbreaking appeal for Ms Williams to get better.

“Come on Kathryn Williams, our community is looking for positive news and can you please be that news and please wake up today,” the post read.

“Our community has been through so much over the past few months and we need something good to happen.”

Another close friend, Sandra Munns, said Ms Williams’ death had left her “heart broken in pieces”.

“I can’t believe you’re gone, sister. The woods of Woorie will never be the same. I promise I will watch over your boys.

“Another beautiful soul is gone soon.. You had a connection with everyone in this community, you were one of a kind.. You will be greatly missed by many,” another local wrote.

The small Queensland town of Woorabinda has been rocked by four tragic deaths in four days after two young children died in a car and a 19-year-old crashed into a tree.

On Friday evening, two boys were pulled from an unused car in the Backyard of a house Woorabinda House.

Relatives found the youngest child just before 8 p.m. and called paramedics to take him to hospital. A rescue helicopter was on standby, but he could not be revived.

Police were inspecting the car more than an hour later, at 9:15 p.m., when they found the three-year-old in the rear legs. He was rushed to hospital but was also pronounced dead.

The tragedy remains under investigation, but police believe the boys may have gotten into the vehicle, were unable to get out and died from “heat-related stress.”

On Sunday, family members honored the older boy by collecting all of his favorite things, including stuffed toys and a blue blanket decorated with cartoon trucks.

The grieving family of the eldest boy who died after being trapped in a car paid tribute by collecting his favorite items, including a blue blanket decorated with cartoon trucks.

Temperatures in Woorabinda reached 34C on Saturday, but conditions inside vehicles can be up to 30 degrees hotter than outside.

The boys weren’t brothers, but they were related.

Superintendent Darrin Shadlow said at a news conference Saturday that the car was not in use and its electrical systems, including the windows, were not working.

“At this stage we are still carrying out investigations. They had not been traveling in this vehicle – it was in the backyard of the residence,” Superintendent Shadlow said.

“It appears to be a tragic accident where the children somehow got into the vehicle and remained there for some time.”

A crime scene has been declared and detectives are investigating the circumstances of the deaths.

About six hours after the toddlers’ bodies were discovered, Miriam Grace Kemp, 19, died when her car crashed into a tree on Crane Avenue in Kawana, about two hours to the northeast.

Miriam Kemp, 19, died in a car accident around 3 a.m. Saturday. His family lives in Woorabinda

Woorabinda is a small Aboriginal community in central Queensland, located 170 km southwest of Rockhampton.

She went to high school in Rockhampton, but her family lives in Woorabinda.

Daily Mail Australia understands the teenager was involved in an altercation with several other people shortly before 3am on Saturday.

She jumped into a Holden Berlina with her 17-year-old friend and crashed into a tree.

The two men got out of the car and called an ambulance, but Miriam died from her injuries before they arrived.

Her friend was taken to Rockhampton Hospital but has since been released.

Residents were devastated by this triple tragedy.

“A heartbreak for the whole Woorabinda community, it’s so sad to wake up, look straight to Facebook seeing all this,” one person wrote on social media.

“Woorabinda thinks of a community that is too lost.”

Another said: “I have no words, just sending some love to my heartbroken Woorabinda people. »