For Elodie and Andrew Aldridge, the date of October 20, 2023, will forever stay etched in their minds.
The Katunga couple had been eagerly awaiting the birth of their child, with Mrs Aldridge 34 weeks pregnant.
In the morning, Mr Aldridge had kissed his wife and unborn child goodbye as he went to work.
By that afternoon, Mrs Aldridge had been involved in a car crash with two other vehicles at Shepparton East and had to be flown to hospital in Melbourne.
During an emergency caesarean, it was discovered their son Remi had passed.
On Thursday, November 7, the couple sat in Shepparton County Court as the driver of one of those vehicles, Chrystle Olivia Kemp, 27, of Shepparton, pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving causing serious injury to Mrs Aldridge.
Kemp also pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving causing death, for the death of her five-year-old niece Savannah Kemp, who was a passenger in her car.
Under Victorian law, the destruction of a foetus — other than for medical purposes — is recognised as a ‘serious injury’, regardless of whether the pregnant woman suffers any other harm.
A Victorian Government spokesperson said a change was made to the Crimes Act to make it so that any person who drives carelessly or intentionally to cause a woman to lose her unborn child, can be punished under Victorian law.
However, it is not considered a ‘death’ of an unborn child.
The spokesperson said this was a complex area of law where any changes could have unintended consequences, including for abortion rights in Victoria.
“We believe we have the balance right under the current laws,” the spokesperson said.
It is a law the Aldridges want changed.
“When the accident happened, I’ve been told my son was nothing in the eyes of the law,” Mrs Aldridge said, speaking outside the court.
“He was everything to us.”
“He was little. A child,” Mr Aldridge said.
NSW and Queensland both have laws where unborn babies can be recognised as the victims of crime.
The couple want the same rules to apply to Victoria.
Mrs Aldridge said it took a Queensland mother nine years of campaigning to get the law changed in her state, and recently, the first unborn baby was recognised in a court case as in her state.
Back in January this year, the Aldridges started a petition that was tabled in the Victorian Legislative Assembly by state Member for Shepparton Kim O’Keeffe in April.
With the court case this week relating to the death of Remi, the Aldridges have renewed their vow to continue to push for change.
“What if he was yours?” Mrs Aldridge said.
“It’s too late for us, but if we can help another family to not go through this.
“If NSW can do it, if Queensland can do it, why can’t we?”
In ending her victim impact statement read in court, Mrs Aldridge vowed to continue the fight for change on behalf of her son.
“We love you, and we will fight for you, to make sure you didn’t die in vain,” she said.
Asked outside the court if they had anything to say to the Victorian Government, Mr Aldridge was quick in his response.
“Are you kissing your kids tonight?” he said.
“We’re not.”