A SIX-MONTH-OLD baby girl has tragically died after her pram was struck by a car in a multi-storey car park in Tenby, Pembrokeshire.

Sophia Kelemen, described as “smiley and bubbly,” suffered catastrophic brain injuries in the collision on Thursday (Jan 2). Despite being airlifted to a Cardiff hospital, the injuries proved fatal.

Sophia’s family, from Greater Manchester, had been on holiday in Wales and were preparing to head home when the incident occurred.

Her father, Alex Kelemen, 27, told the BBC: “Just before we got to the car, the horror movie started.

“It’s been horrific to see our little daughter lying in that hospital bed and going through all those procedures. Everybody loved her—our friends, our family. She’s always going to live in my heart. I know she’s watching over me every day.”

Sophia’s parents now face the heartbreaking task of explaining the tragedy to their five-year-old son, Lucas.

“He’s been asking about his little sister every day,” said Mr Kelemen. “The hardest thing I’ve ever done is explain to him that God loved his sister more than we did. I told him that God gave Sophia a new pair of wings so she could fly above him and protect him.

“There are things I just don’t know how to explain to him. He’s our only child now, and everything we do is for him.”

Family’s heartbreak

Sophia’s aunt, Adriana Kelemen, recounted the devastating events to the Manchester Evening News.

“They were on a short break in Wales with family friends,” she said. “It was their last day. They’d been out, and then they went to the supermarket.

“It happened in the car park. The pram Sophia was in was destroyed.”

Support for devastated family

Fundraising efforts are now underway to support Sophia’s family. Two GoFundMe pages—one in English and one in Romanian—have been launched to cover funeral costs and repatriation expenses. The family plans to bury Sophia in Romania.

Meanwhile, Flaviu Naghi, 33, from Wigan, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, as well as driving without a licence or insurance. He is due to appear at Swansea Crown Court on February 7.

Donations to assist the family can be made via the GoFundMe pages.

Pictured:

Tragic loss: Six-month-old Sophia Kelemen, pictured with dad Alex, died after her pram was hit by a car (Pic: Dyfed-Powys Police)

THE FIRST MINISTER OF WALES Eluned Morgan has welcomed today’s announcement from the UK Government of a multi-billion pound investment in Artificial Intelligence.

The UK Opportunities Action Plan, launched by Prime Minister Keir Starmer today, aims to drive economic growth, support public services and use intelligent technology to improve people’s every day lives. 

Wales is uniquely placed to benefit from the AI infrastructure plans, with work already underway to develop tech hubs, shared resources and data centres.

As part of the investment announced today, US technology giant Vantage Data Centers plans to invest over £12 billion across the UK, resulting in the creation of over 11,500 jobs. The Welsh Government has been working closely with Vantage since 2020 to support the development of its data centres in Wales.

It is expected that the lion’s share of the new investment from Vantage will be in Wales. The biggest investment will be in Bridgend, where the company plans to develop the former Ford factory site to become one of Europe’s largest data centre campuses.

The First Minister is keen to ensure Wales benefits from the investment in AI, saying:

“Today’s announcement, which includes a multi-billion pound investment in AI by some of the world’s biggest tech companies, is a huge boost in confidence for industry in Wales.

“We are seeing that AI is increasingly being used as a power for good, whether that’s increasing productivity or bringing smarter solutions to everyday problems.

“There can be enormous benefits to the economy in establishing the tech and wider infrastructure here in Wales. Industry leaders recognise that the conditions are right in Wales, with a government that will do what it can to make these plans a reality.

“This won’t happen overnight and it’s important that the infrastructure, data, skills and talent is in place to ensure that we all benefit from these solutions. There’s no question that Wales is in an excellent position to benefit, given the work that’s already in progress here.”

The Economy Secretary Rebecca Evans is leading a review to explore how Wales can capitalise on opportunities and develop Wales’ strengths in the development of AI-based technologies.

Over the past year, the Welsh Government has worked with other organisations to develop guidance to support Welsh public bodies in adopting AI in a responsible, safe and ethical way.

Wales has already seen evidence of the value of AI implementation in diagnostic care in the NHS, with a digital pathology platform for prostate and breast cancer detection led by Betsi Cadwaladr seeing a 13% increase in prostate cancer detection rates.

Estyn, the school inspectorate, is also undertaking a review of the use of Generative AI in schools, which will explore the potential benefits to schools, while also considering the challenges they pose.

A FORMER prison officer has come forward with allegations of systemic failings at HMP Parc in Bridgend, claiming that neglect, a toxic workplace culture, and management shortcomings have jeopardised inmate welfare and staff safety. Speaking under the pseudonym “Jack” to protect his identity, the whistleblower detailed his experiences, including alleged safeguarding failures in the lead-up to the death of inmate Shay Andrews and wider issues at the G4S-operated facility.

Jack, who worked at HMP Parc for several years, revealed how insufficient training, staff misconduct, and managerial failings created an environment where inmate welfare was neglected, and the prison’s fundamental purpose of rehabilitation was undermined.

Allegations of failures and neglect

Jack’s most damning allegations centred on the death of Shay Andrews, a 23-year-old inmate who suffered from a medical condition that made him resistant to pain and difficult to restrain. “When Shay died, officers were cheering,” Jack said. “They were relieved they wouldn’t have to deal with him anymore, but that behaviour was sickening. Shay was a human being who needed support, not disdain.”

He also described a culture of neglect, where understaffing and lack of training put prisoners and officers at risk. Jack recalled being left alone on a wing during his third day of shadowing. “I didn’t feel safe. I wasn’t prepared, and I didn’t even know where to find the paperwork I needed to do the job properly,” he said.

Jack further alleged that a manager’s romantic relationship with a prison officer contributed to serious professional misconduct. According to Jack, this officer was responsible for conducting welfare checks on Cameron Anthony, another inmate whose death in custody has drawn scrutiny. Jack claimed that the officer failed to carry out the required ACT (Assessment, Care in Custody, and Teamwork) checks, leaving a gap of over five hours. “Instead of addressing the failure, senior management instructed that Cameron be counted in the roll call despite being unresponsive,” Jack said. “They said they’d ‘deal with it afterwards.’”

Jack also alleged that officers falsified records, logging welfare checks and key worker sessions that had not actually been conducted. “I’ve seen officers scroll through previous reports and copy-paste details into new ones to make it look like the checks were done. It’s appalling and puts lives at risk,” he said.

Cultural and systemic issues

Jack painted a grim picture of a toxic workplace culture at HMP Parc, where officers allegedly prioritised control over care. “It’s all power trips and bullying. Some officers think having the keys makes them superior, but it should be about working with the prisoners to help them rehabilitate,” he said.

Prisoners’ basic needs were also often ignored, according to Jack. He cited examples of inadequate food portions, delays in delivering mail, and neglect of religious dietary requirements. “I’ve seen prisoners go without proper meals, receiving just a cheese roll, a piece of fruit, and a packet of crisps. I’ve seen inmates go out to work in the winter with holes in their shoes because they had no family to send clothes,” he said.

New allegations from other former officers

Fresh allegations have emerged regarding additional inmate deaths at HMP Parc, bringing the total to 17 deaths in the past 10 months. Former officer Jim (not his real name) has come forward with claims of safeguarding failures linked to the deaths of Michael “Mikey” Horton, Warren Manners, and Shay Andrews.

“These three deaths should never have happened,” Jim said. He described widespread issues with corruption, including “laughable” staff searches and failures to prevent frequent drone drops of contraband. Jim also highlighted a “revolving door” of overstretched staff, which he claimed left them unable to perform their duties properly.

Mikey Horton’s family, devastated by his death, expressed outrage at the alleged failings. “We are appalled,” they said.

Since late February, 17 inmate deaths have been recorded at HMP Parc. According to G4S, these included five drug-related deaths, three self-inflicted, eight of natural causes, and one of unknown causes.

Jim also alleged that G4S denied claims of staff working 24-hour shifts until evidence was presented, forcing the company to admit it had occurred in “unusual” circumstances. The company stated James had been dismissed for dishonesty, which he denies, but did not dispute his core allegations.

Broader issues at HMP Parc

HMP Parc, one of the largest prisons in the UK, has faced ongoing scrutiny due to high inmate death rates, drug smuggling, and violence. In 2024 alone, the prison recorded 17 deaths, many linked to synthetic opioids like nitazenes.

Jack’s testimony adds to concerns about how the prison is managed, with allegations of chronic understaffing, inconsistent regimes, and a lack of meaningful rehabilitation opportunities for inmates. “They’re locked in their cells for up to 18 hours a day because there aren’t enough officers to run the wings. That frustration and tension could be avoided with better management,” Jack said.

Calls for accountability

Jack has called for G4S to lose its contract to run HMP Parc, arguing that the prison’s private management prioritises profit over rehabilitation. “They’ve failed the prisoners, the staff, and the community. If prisoners aren’t rehabilitated, they’ll come out worse than they went in, and that’s a danger to society,” he said.

The former officer urged other staff to come forward. “Every story matters. These inmates are someone’s family, and they deserve to be treated with dignity. Change starts with us speaking out.”

G4S Responds to allegations

In response to the claims, a spokesperson for HMP Parc said: “G4S cannot comment publicly on individual death in custody cases in advance of the Coroners’ Inquests, and it is hugely concerning that a former employee has chosen to do so.”

The spokesperson also emphasised recent efforts to improve conditions at the prison:
“Over the last several months, the team at Parc has worked at pace to make improvements at the prison with a focus on six key areas – staffing, safety, security, drugs, regime, and respect. We are pleased to see outcomes improving in these areas.”

On the issue of inmate activities and staff training, the spokesperson added: “Men take part in around 30 hours of purposeful activity a week. Men also have access to a level of additional out-of-cell association time, exceeding that delivered in most closed prisons. Our Prison Custody Officer training meets HMPPS requirements.”

Addressing other allegations, G4S stated:

• “Staffing levels are based on the same staff-to-prisoner ratios that are used in all closed prisons, public or private.”
• “Significant effort and resources are used to mitigate the ingress of illicit substances, and we work with partners at a local and national level, including South Wales Police.”
• “We have identified improvements that can be made in terms of meal options and portion sizing, and we are working with our catering provider on those issues. We don’t recognise the allegations about the religious service provision at Parc, which is good.”
• “We check parcels and mail to ensure they are not impregnated with drugs or contraband, which sometimes causes delays. Carrying out these checks saves lives.”

Jack’s testimony paints a troubling picture of life inside HMP Parc, but G4S insists that steps are being taken to address these issues. With inquests into multiple deaths pending, scrutiny of the prison’s operations remains intense.

As the Coroners’ Inquests approach, the spotlight is firmly on HMP Parc and the systemic challenges facing the UK’s prison system.