A woman killed when an ‘airborne’ car plowed right through her home and into the back garden has been identified as a beloved grandmother.
Robyn Figg, 62, was sleeping in the front room of her St Marys home, in Sydney’s west, when a black Grand Cherokee SUV crashed into it about 5.20am on Saturday.
Emergency services rushed to Monfarville Street, but despite the best efforts of paramedics, Figg died at the scene.
Her partner and owner of the house, James Pemble, was out walking their dog at the time of the crash, while his parents, who were unhurt, were asleep in the granny flat at the rear of the property.
A 29-year-old woman reportedly exited the car and fled the scene with her baby before being arrested by police nearby.
Robyn Figg, 62, is pictured with her ‘best friend’ and granddaughter Grace
She was taken to a nearby hospital for mandatory testing, where police have yet to press charges. Both her and her child were reportedly unharmed.
Ms Figg’s children Josh and Daisy Oxley told Daily Mail Australia their mother, a Palawa woman, had a ‘big heart’ and would do anything to help family and friends.
Siblings, who also have an older brother, the son of Ms Figg’s first husband, who she took into the family as her own, said she was a doting mother who took care of everyone and was well-respected in the community.
“She was tough, with a big heart,” Josh said.
‘Growing up as children, she always coached our cricket team and took us to sports.
‘I was sick as a child and she sat in hospital with me every day until I turned 18.’
Daisy added: ‘All our friends were always welcome in our home, they always knew they were welcome and had a room over their heads.
‘I wish a million children could have had the mother we had. We were absolutely blessed to have her as a mother.’
Mrs Figg shared a close relationship with her daughter Daisy and son Josh
A car rocketed all the way through the home on a straight residential road in the early hours of Saturday morning (above)
Daisy and Josh said their mother was a stay-at-home parent when they were young, before starting a career as a cleaner.
After their parents split, she moved from Hobart to Sydney about 14 years ago and had been ‘the happiest’ they had seen her.
Josh said his mother’s love of her life was his five-year-old daughter Grace.
‘They were best friends. Mother just adored her, he said.
‘There was nothing mother wouldn’t do for her. She wanted to FaceTime her every day. Grace was her whole world. She had already started buying her presents just as Christmas ended.
‘When Grace heard about what happened she said to me “who do I call now dad?”.
Josh and Daisy, who live in Hobart, said they spoke to their mother every day and she was close to their partners, Liz and Ian respectively, as well as her six sisters, brother and 22 nieces and nephews.
They described her partner James, who is dating Jamie, as ‘the love of her life’ and said they are now making arrangements to travel to Sydney.
“There are not many words to describe the impact her loss will have on our family,” Josh said.
Melissa Figgs has remembered her aunt (pictured together) as ‘highly respected’ with a ‘heart of gold’
Pictured: Daisy and her partner Ian (far left), Mrs Figg (centre back) and her mother Betty (centre front), Josh, his wife Liz, their daughter Grace (right)
Mrs Figg cuts a cake with Grace on her birthday in June this year
Mrs Figg pictured with her sisters and brother
“It’s just a huge whole in the family that will never be filled,” Daisy added.
Niece Melissa Figg said it was ‘still hard to believe’ her aunt was gone.
‘She had a heart of gold. You knew when she was in a room because she would light it up, she said.
‘I have a soft spot for Aunt Rob. She always had a lot of time for my son and me. She was my favorite aunt.’
Mrs Figg said her aunt ‘didn’t beat around the bush’ and would tell those around her ‘how it was’ but was well respected by everyone around her.
After moving to Sydney, Ms Figg said her aunt developed a large circle of friends and her loss would be felt throughout the community.
Pictures of the wreckage left on the property showed the car traveling all the way through the home before stopping at a garden shed in the back garden.
The impact crumpled the property, leaving a trail of debris through the rooms and sending building materials and personal belongings scattered across the lawn.
Police (pictured at the scene) will continue to investigate the incident and charges have yet to be laid
Blacktown Fire Station Officer Samuel Parkhouse revealed the SUV had left the house with ‘significant structural damage’
Blacktown Fire Station Officer Samuel Parkhouse said the SUV had left the house with ‘significant structural damage’.
“It appears that once the car entered the property it became airborne and went right through from the front,” he said.
Fire and Rescue have used special equipment to keep the rest of the house standing.
The black SUV also appeared to be heavily damaged with the windshield smashed and the door dented.
Frightened residents described hearing a ‘loud boom’ at the time of the incident.
‘No brakes, nothing. It was just, well, just a boom,” a neighbor told 9News.
Another local said Mrs Figgs would regularly sit on the front porch and wave to neighbours.
The police investigation continues.