Teen Driver Sentenced to Community Service in Landmark Case Over Unborn Baby's Death

The 17-year-old avoided detention in the first application of Queensland’s Sophie's Law, sparking criticism from the victim's family and advocates.

A 17-year-old girl received 100 hours of community service and a six-month driving suspension for a crash that killed an unborn baby and injured the mother, Haylee Loccisano, in May 2024.
The sentencing marked the first application of Sophie's Law, which recognizes the loss of an unborn baby as an aggravating factor in sentencing.
Haylee Loccisano, who was 25 weeks pregnant, described her baby Celeste as her 'miracle baby' after multiple miscarriages and expressed that the sentence was insufficient for the life lost.
The crash occurred when the teenager veered into oncoming traffic while distracted, resulting in a head-on collision that left Loccisano in a coma and requiring multiple surgeries.
Advocates, including Sarah Milosevic, who campaigned for Sophie's Law, criticized the lack of a custodial sentence, arguing it undermines the law's intent and fails to deliver justice.