Mother calls for 'Sharlotte's Law' to help road death investigations

The mother of a six-year-old girl killed by a motorist under the influence of drink and drugs has called for a change in the law to speed up police investigations.

Sharlotte Naglis died when a car driven by John Owen mounted the pavement in Stoke-on-Trent in June 2021.

Police were unable to test his blood until he regained consciousness, because he needed to give his consent.

Sharlotte's mother said the wait for answers had been "torture".

Claire Reynolds also said it had delayed the police investigation into the collision.

With the help of her MP, Johnathan Gullis, she has proposed a "Sharlotte's Law", which would remove the need to obtain consent before testing a driver's blood samples.

She said: "Until the blood is tested, the investigation is on hold and you don't get the answers that you need."

The proposed law would have made a "huge difference" in her case, she said, adding that she wanted to help other families avoid "that pain of waiting".

Mr Gullis said the law could become a legacy for Sharlotte.

He said families should not "continue to suffer in silence for months if not years on end waiting for answers".

Owen, 46, who was also using his phone and speeding, was jailed for six years and two months in October 2022.

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