Family of Constable Mia Lay farewell ‘vibrant, spontaneous and beautiful’ young policewoman after deadly crash
The family of a young NSW police officer killed in a car crash in Sydney have farewelled the “vibrant, spontaneous and beautiful” 20-year-old in a grief-stricken statement after she was posthumously awarded a national police service medal at her funeral.
Constable Mia Lay had been on the force just 16 months before she was killed in a car crash while on duty responding to reports of a car theft in Redfern on September 25.
Mia Lay was on the force 16 months before she was killed in a car crash while on duty. NSW Police
A 25-year-old male constable who was driving the car survived the crash and was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
In an emotional statement released on Wednesday afternoon, Lay’s heartbroken family remembered the young policewoman as someone who was deeply loved and adored by her family, friends and partner.
“The sudden and tragic loss of Mia, our firstborn flower, has left us profoundly traumatised, devastated and utterly bereft. We are lost without her,” the statement reads.
“The pain we feel as a family is incomprehensible, and there simply are no words that can adequately express the depth of the sorrow we all feel.”
“Mia dedicated herself to serving and protecting others through the NSW Police Force. She was a strong-willed, determined, loving, focused, vibrant, spontaneous and beautiful young woman who touched the lives of so many people.
“She had a fiery spirit and a fiercely independent nature, and beneath that was a heart full of kindness and unconditional love.”
Lay had a passion for sport and loved animals, especially her beloved blue cattle cross kelpie, Millie.
She was someone who “lived life on her own terms and embraced it fully”, her family said.
“Mia had a fiercely competitive side, which she carried with her into her career. She loved being a police officer,” they added.
“She loved being part of a team, serving her community and the camaraderie she shared with her colleagues, both at work and socially.”
Lay’s family have remembered her as a “vibrant, spontaneous and beautiful” person. Nine
Lay’s family thanked her NSW Police family and community members for their support.
They asked that Lay be remembered “for the life she lived, the people she loved, and the service she so proudly gave to others”.
“She made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty while serving our state,” the statement continued.
Police march and form a guard of honour at the conclusion of Lay’s funeral. Wolter Peeters
“She deserves to be remembered. She deserves to be spoken about. And she deserves never to be forgotten.
“We love you, Mia. More than words could ever say.”
Lay was survived by parents Tamara and Clem, her partner Daniel Vasquez, and her four siblings and was laid to rest at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney on Wednesday.
During the service, NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon announced that Lay would be honoured with the national police medal, which recognises an officer’s commitment to ethical and diligent service.
“She has been remembered for her “passion for soccer, her joy for life, her love for family and the pride and sense of achievement she found in policing”, Lanyon said.
"You will not be forgotten."
An investigation into the crash is under way and the circumstances remain unknown.
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