Gold Coast Crash: Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Killing Boy, 9

Keith Andrew Chambers, 49, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter and other charges for a crash that killed nine-year-old Aiden Guimaraes in October 2024.

The tragic incident occurred in Robina on the Gold Coast. Chambers was driving a minivan with only one working headlight and in unsatisfactory mechanical condition when he mounted a kerb and struck Aiden and his father David Guimaraes, who were riding an e-bike in a designated bike lane.

Chambers had been drinking heavily and had mixed alcohol with painkillers. His estimated blood alcohol concentration at the time of the collision was between 0.1675 and 0.193. He also had Panadeine Forte, Endone, and the antidepressant Seroplex in his system.

After the crash, Chambers claimed he was hit by another car. The court noted that he did not take serious steps to address his substance misuse until he was in jail.

The Victims

Aiden suffered severe blunt force injuries that were not survivable. His father, David Guimaraes, sustained serious injuries and has been diagnosed with PTSD. Aiden's brother, aged 11, witnessed the death.

Sentencing Details

Chambers received a concurrent six-year sentence for other charges and was disqualified from driving for life. He is classified as a serious violent offender, meaning he must serve 80% of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole. He has already served 498 days in pre-sentence custody.

Family Response

Aiden's family, speaking through spokesperson Damien Simonfi, criticized the Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurer's valuation of Aiden's life at $9,775. They have called for changes to the CTP system.