Fifteen-year-old Braydon Worldon had just celebrated his birthday when he was struck from behind by a medium-to-heavy rigid vehicle near his home on River Road, near Wantabadgery, in December 2018. Photo: NSW Police.
NSW Police are offering a $250,000 reward for information that may lead to the identification of the driver who struck and killed a Riverina teen in 2018.
The reward comes after a three-day coronial inquest into the hit-and-run death of 15-year-old Braydon Worldon which found he suffered multiple blunt force injuries when hit from behind by a vehicle just 9km from the small town of Wantabadgery in December 2018.
The inquest, held in Wagga Wagga last week, heard that Braydon was walking or standing on River Road, near his family’s home, when he was hit between 9:30 pm on 18 December, 2018, and 1:00 am on 19 December, 2018.
Deputy State Coroner Elaine Truscott said the vehicle was most likely a medium-to-heavy rigid vehicle, or possibly a smaller vehicle fitted with an oversized, and incorrect, bullbar.
The vehicle, which was travelling in an easterly direction at around 90-110km/h was likely fitted with a rounded forward-protruding bullbar featuring two bars, each sitting around 1.5 metres and 1.3 metres above the roadway.
The inquest heard there were no tyre marks or debris from the vehicle to assist police with their enquiries, and it was likely the impact would have been heard within the cabin of the vehicle and the driver would likely be aware he had hit something.
Ms Truscott referred to evidence from expert witness William Bailey that the sound of the impact would be sufficiently loud to be heard inside the cabin, but Mr Bailey was unable to say what other sounds were in the cabin.
Braydon Worldon had celebrated his birthday on 18 December, and died just half a kilometre from Worldon Lane, where his grandfather lived.
Strike Force Dunstable was established by detectives from Riverina Police District to investigate the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death.
They have confirmed Braydon was last seen alive during the evening of Tuesday, 18 December, 2018.
Police are seeking any information from the public in relation to heavy vehicles that use River Road, Wantabadgery, as well as those that may have been in the Wantabadgery area on the night of the incident.
NSW Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said he hopes this reward will help encourage anyone with information to come forward and assist police to find much needed answers for the family and friends of Braydon.
“This young man had a life ahead of him that was tragically cut short in December 2018,” he said.
“I hope the NSW Government’s $250,000 reward could be the incentive that is needed to encourage people to come forward and report to police to help find answers for Braydon’s family.
“Any information, no matter how small, could be the piece that police need to solve this case.”
Riverina Police District Crime Manager, Detective Inspector Adrian Telfer, believes someone knows what happened and hopes the reward will prompt them to come forward.
“We’re leaving no stone unturned, and we are continuing to follow up on information provided by the public as well as our own avenues of investigation,” he said.
“We believe that someone in the community might hold that vital information which will help us provide answers to Braydon’s mother, Crystal, and the rest of his family regarding the circumstances of Braydon’s death.
“Any information that can be provided by the public is invaluable.”
Original Article published by Edwina Mason on About Regional.
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