12-Year-Old Sues Parents Over 2007 Car Crash

A schoolgirl is suing her mother and father over a car crash which left her seriously injured and killed her sister and friend.

Faith Varden Carberry has launched an action for damages in the High Court against her mother Mary Carberry (36), who was the uninsured driver of the car, and got so drunk on the day of the crash she "blacked out". She is also taking action against her father Thomas Varden, who owned the vehicle but who insists he did not want Ms Carberry to drive it.

Faith was eight years old when her mother, who was banned from driving at the time because of a previous accident, ploughed into a mud embankment on a disused road outside Edgeworthstown, Co Longford.

Faith's sister Ava (6) and her friend Michaela Logan were killed and another child was also injured in the 2007 crash.

In October 2009, Mary Carberry was sentenced at Longford Circuit Court to six years' imprisonment with two years suspended for dangerous driving causing death. The court heard harrowing details about Ms Carberry drinking for hours, getting so drunk that she "blacked out" and then got behind the wheel and drove from Kildare to Longford.

Faith, now aged 12, of Clonguish Court, Newtownforbes, Co Longford, brought the court action through her grandfather, Anthony Carberry, of St Mels Road, Longford.

She is suing her father Thomas Varden, aged in his early 70s, of Renville Village, Oranmore, Co Galway; her mother, of Newtownforbes, Co Longford; and the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland.

(H)