The 20-year-old officer was farewelled at St Andrew’s Cathedral. NSW Police posthumously recognized her service; an oversight commission is investigating the crash.
Constable Mia Lay was farewelled at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney on October 7. The 20-year-old officer died on September 25 when the marked patrol car she was in struck a tree during an urgent response to a report of a stolen vehicle. Colleagues, senior police officers and Lay’s family attended the service.
Lay’s partner, Constable Daniel Vasquez, said they met at the police academy and graduated together last year. The couple had moved in together and planned a trip to Fiji; Vasquez had spoken about proposing. At the funeral, he described Lay as the centre of his life and said he would treasure their time together.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon posthumously awarded Lay the National Police Service Medal, the National Medal and the NSW Police Medal for ethical and diligent service. Lanyon praised her brief but promising career. Lay had served for less than 18 months, worked at Redfern Police Station after graduating and had previously been recognized for apprehending an armed man in a park.
Police said the crash occurred in Sydney’s inner south while the patrol car was responding to a report of a stolen vehicle. The driver was 24-year-old Constable Brandon Torrisi. His actions remain under investigation by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, the state’s independent police watchdog. The commission has not announced findings on the cause of the collision.
Lay’s parents, Clem and Tamara, remembered her as loving, determined and full of life. She was the eldest of five siblings and a talented footballer. The state police commissioner described her as a promising officer, while family and colleagues paid tribute at the service.