An uninsured driver who killed four-year-old Mayar Yahia after making a “split-second decision” to overtake a vehicle has been jailed. Yahia was returning from Eid celebrations with her family on the evening of April 14, 2024, when she was struck by 23-year-old Javonnie Tavener on the pavement of Upper Highgate Street. Another two women were also seriously injured after Tavener lost control of his Vauxhall Corsa as he attempted to overtake a Mercedes, a careless decision which saw him colliding with several pedestrians as they walked along the pavement.

Yahia was returning from Eid celebrations with her family on the evening of April 14, 2024, when she was struck by 23-year-old Javonnie Tavener on the pavement of Upper Highgate Street. Another two women were also seriously injured after Tavener lost control of his Vauxhall Corsa as he attempted to overtake a Mercedes, a careless decision which saw him colliding with several pedestrians as they walked along the pavement.

One of the women injured was Mayar’s mother, who was left bleeding with two broken legs. Initially, Tavener fled the scene of the crime before returning 30 minutes later. Upon his return, Tavener was immediately detained.

The two women were treated, whereas Tavener’s youngest victim was not so lucky. The four-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene despite paramedics’ best efforts. Her father Babiker Yahia recalled the harrowing phone calls that stopped him in his tracks and derailed his celebrations. He was at home preparing to greet his wife and their three children and young baby home from an Eid celebration with nearby friends, when a phone call from his 9-year-old daughter changed everything. Babiker said “She was crying and kept saying Mayar has passed, Mayar has passed. There had been a crash.”

During police interviews, Tavener made the absurd claim that he was forced into his own car by a second man in a futile bid to redirect some of his guilt. Tavener also initially insisted to police that he did not own a mobile phone, yet months after the crash he used his phone to research driving negligence and the potential ban for causing death by careless driving.

An earlier hearing took place on Wednesday, 30 July 2025, at Birmingham Crown Court, where Javonnie Tavener pleaded guilty to all charges, including causing death by careless driving, causing death whilst driving uninsured and two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving.

At Birmingham Crown Court, on Friday, March 13, Tavener was sentenced to three years and 10 months for his actions. He was also sentenced to an additional 18 months for an unrelated assault. The assault and battery charges were in relation to an incident involving his girlfriend just over a month after the crash. While on bail, Tavener attacked his partner during a holiday in Greece when she spoke to him about the case. He viciously beat her up inside a car and strangled her until she lost consciousness. Tavener total jail time to five years and four months and banned from driving for at least 6 years.

Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes, from the Metropolitan Police’s serious collision investigation unit, said: “Mayar was just four years old when her life was tragically taken away from her. She was walking back with her family and friends after celebrating Eid."

“Pedestrians should be reassured of protection when walking on the pavement and a split-second decision by Tavener to overtake where he did has led to this tragic chain of events. He then made no efforts to ring the emergency services. I would urge all drivers to think about this incident and how those decisions can have such catastrophic consequences.”

Mayar’s family spoke on how her tragic and untimely loss had affected her family, which included her 3 siblings, and her community: “Mayar was an extraordinary child. She was full of love and always smiling, kind to everyone and made friends easily. She was cheerful and bright, and she brought happiness to everyone around her at home, in her school and her neighbourhood. There are no words that can truly describe how special she as, or how much we miss her."

“Losing Mayar has been the most painful experience of our lives. It’s not just our loss; it’s a loss to her friends and to the whole community. We hope this tragedy serves as a reminder to everyone of the importance of driving safely and responsibly. No one deserves to lose a loved one like this. Mayar will always be in our hearts.”