'I was privileged to call him my son' - Mother of fatal crash teen speaks after inquest into deaths

Hugo Oliver Morris, aged 18, Jevon Alexander Hirst, 16, Harvey Graham Owen, 17, and Wilfred John Fitchett, also 17, went missing on November 19 last year after driving to North Wales.

A major search operation took place but, sadly, the boys were found dead in Llanfrothen on November 21.

An inquest into their deaths in Caernarfon on Wednesday heard that the boys had gone to stay the night at Jevon's grandfather's house and then planned on doing some walking and camping.

Harvey's mother, Crystal Owen, read a prepared statement about her son outside the coroner's court after the inquest.

She said: "Something you never expect to do as a parent is sum up your child's life in a statement for an inquest into their death.

"I do not believe there are words that exist to explain how much of a beautiful person [Harvey] was and the indescribable love we have for him. But I will try my best."

Family

"Harvey was perfect from the minute he came into this world and continued to be so until he was tragically taken from us," Crystal said.

"A much-longed for son and little brother to his sister Yasmin who he had an inseparable bond with, Harvey later went on to become a big brother to his little sisters, Sophia and Olivia, who idolised him and miss him dearly.

"They cannot make sense of what has happened as we cannot either.

"Harvey had the biggest, warmest smile that radiated love and calmness and a contagious, positive energy.

"He saw the best in everyone, caring, loving and emphatic.

"He always had a soft spot for people who he knew was struggling to fit in or felt they were having a bad time."

Friends

"A couple of quotes from Harvey's friends sum him up perfectly," the teenager's mum continued.

"'I knew all the boys in school but Harvey was the only one to give me the time of day'.

"Another said 'basically I was a nerd in school without many friends but Harvey stuck with me'.

"Charismatic, cheeky, laid-back and carefree.

"Harvey never took life too seriously. He never let anything get him down.

Promising future

"In his diary he had recently written he appreciated everything in his life and was looking forward to the summer and spending more time with his family and friends.

"He had everything to live for and a very promising future ahead of him.

"Harvey was a trendsetter. He was a unique, quirky old soul. He was wise beyond his years.

"As his sister Yasmin said, 'he was iconic, he was my little brother but I looked up to him'.

Hobbies and interests

"Harvey had many interests and hobbies over the years, many of which caused me to be a nervous wreck, such as his skateboarding, BMX tricks and snowboarding.

"So I was more than relieved when he hung up his skateboard for his guitar.

"Anything Harvey was passionate about at that time he gave it his all and would practise for hours on end to perfect his skills.

"Alongside his studies at college, Harvey was thriving in his cheffing job at a local pizzeria.

"Harvey had always enjoyed cooking and was recently talking about one day opening his own Italian-themed café selling his homemade breads or one day when he had learned to drive, of getting a pizza van to take to festivals to sell his homemade pizzas."

Lovable personality

Crystal continued: "Harvey was flourishing in his life. He was finding out who he was.

"Harvey had become more confident in recent months. He was someone I was incredibly privileged to call my son.

"Anyone who knew him would tell me what a lovely, polite and young man he was.

"It would fill me with pride as I knew how true it was.

"Even with the teenage years he had such a laidback, lovable personality.

"It was impossible to ever stay mad at him for long."

Worst nightmare

"Last November every parent's worst nightmare came true. We are now living every parent's worst reality.

"Not only did we lose Harvey in the most tragic of ways and have the shock and trauma to deal with, we had to face a lifetime of grieving the life he should be living - the time we should have had with him and the memories we should be creating.

"The joy has gone from our lives and there is a void that can never be filled.

"I loved my son unconditionally. For 17 years I watched him grow and held him, dried his tears and healed his scrapes.

"I tried to protect him in every way possible."