A MOTHER of two children who died when a drink and drug-driver's van ploughed into their car on the M4 in February has announced she is pregnant with another child.

Rhiannon Lucas and her partner Adam Saunders, from Tredegar, has shared the news she is 15 weeks pregnant and due next spring.

The baby is due on her late daughter Gracie-Ann's sixth birthday on April 10, 2023.

Four-year-old Gracie-Ann Lucas and her three-year-old brother Jayden-Lee were killed by a van driver who had been taking drugs while traveling home from a party.

The children were in the car with their mother and her partner when their car was hit on the M4, and later died within days of each other.

The driver Martin Newman was sentence to nine years and four months in prison – meaning he will be free in four years.

South Wales Argus:

Jayden-Lee and Gracie-Ann died just days apart from each other. Picture: Rhiannon Lucas 

Now, eight months after losing her children, Ms Lucas found out she was expecting her third child, and her partner's first baby.

She said: “It was shock that I was pregnant. I was feeling nauseous and I thought it was because they took me off the medication. I said to Adam that I needed to do a pregnancy test as I didn’t feel right.

“I took one and discovered I was eight weeks and four days. I don’t want to give birth on that date as I always go up the children’s grave on their birthdays.

“I will be in hospital for Gracie-Ann's birthday, it will be hard work being in the hospital and having a newborn. I would feel guilty.

“This is Adam’s first child, he helped me bring up Grace and Jayden, so it feels like a blessing from them two.

South Wales Argus:

Gracie-Ann with her baby brother Jayden-Lee. Picture: Rhiannon Lucas 

“I think its going to be a girl, Adam thinks it’s a boy. We find out in five week's time, but we are not telling anyone aside from my dad.

“The rest of the family will find out at the gender reveal, as we plan to reveal what we are having at the children’s grave, so they feel part of it.”

Martin Newman, 41, was high on drink and drugs when he crashed into the family’s car between junctions 28 and 29 in Newport.

It was found in court that he had been twice over the driving-drinking limit after drinking 10 cans of Strongbow and taking cocaine before getting behind the wheel.

 

Since the incident and news of the pregnancy, Ms Lucas is battling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and battles with mental health in fear of other drink drivers.

South Wales Argus:

Gracie-Ann when she was eight days old. Picture: Rhiannon Lucas 

When in the car with her partner, she fears of being crashed into again. Recently, they had to avoid another driver who was swerving in the road, causing Ms Lucas huge distress.

She added: “I can’t sleep and I have been diagnosed with PTSD as I feel anxious all the time. I need to have therapy, my my head is so fried at the moment and I had a bad day yesterday.

“I was in the car with Adam the other day and got nervous, I told him to pull back as there was a driver swerving all over the road.”

South Wales Argus:

Gracie-Ann and Jayden-Lee would of been a big sister and brother to baby a due next spring. Picture: Rhiannon Lucas 

Her partner Adam added: “There are more drinking drivers around here where we live in Tredegar.

"I have seen so many people drink driving, it's disgusting as they need to know the consequences.”