Baby killed in crash as police investigate possible link to icy conditions

A seven-month-old baby has died after a car lost control on a dual carriageway and hit a tree, with police investigating whether the crash was linked to icy conditions.

Police were called to a single-vehicle collision involving a yellow Honda Jazz on the A1 near Grantham in Lincolnshire at just after 10.50pm on Thursday.

The car left the southbound carriageway around 500 yards from the Spittlegate junction, hit a tree and came to rest on the road.

The baby boy was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead just after 5am on Friday, Lincolnshire Police said.

A woman also travelling in the same car suffered serious injuries, while two other passengers were not seriously injured.

Alicia Kearns, the Conservative MP for Rutland and Stamford, described the incident as heartbreaking in a post on X.

“My heart goes out to their family and loved ones at this impossible time,” Ms Kearns added.

There were no weather warnings in place for Grantham at the time of the crash, but Met Office records show temperatures were below freezing at 11pm on Thursday.

On Friday afternoon, the southbound carriageway remained closed with drivers told to follow a diversion via the A46.

A yellow weather warning for ice and snow comes into force for most of England, including Grantham, at noon on Saturday.

The town is also covered by an amber alert from 6pm Saturday until noon on Sunday, with the Met Office warning of travel delays on roads and the potential for some vehicles and passengers to become stranded.

A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said: “The road was closed in both directions while emergency services worked, and the southbound carriageway remains closed by highways while they carry out investigative work along the roadside.

“We are now investigating the cause of the collision, and while we are keeping an open mind, we are considering whether this was linked to icy conditions on the carriageway in that area.

“We are asking for help from anyone who may have been driving in that area over the past few days to get in touch with information or dashcam they may have which show conditions over the past few days.

“We would also been keen to view any footage of the collision itself and ask that anyone who was traveling that in that area who we have not yet spoken with to get in touch.”

The family of the baby is being supported by specially-trained officers.

Lincolnshire Police asks anyone with information which could help their investigation to email SCIUinvestigators@lincs.police.uk, quoting incident number 382 of January 2 in the subject line or call 01522 212316 and quote the same incident number.