“She was the life and soul of the cafe”: Woman killed in Rotherham horror crash named locally
“She was the life and soul of the cafe. She was so nice, she made everyone laugh.”
A young woman killed in a Rotherham horror crash has been named locally, as her parents issue a moving tribute to her.
The woman, named just now as Sophie Murphy, was killed in a single vehicle collision in the early hours of Sunday morning (October 25).
Appealing for witnesses, police said the collision is believed to have occurred when a black Volkswagen Passat, travelling towards Thurcoft, spun off the road on Penny Hill Lane before colliding with a telegraph pole.
Tributes have been paid to Sophie following her death, with flowers left outside the cafe her family owned and where she was a much-cherished member of the community.
In a statement Sophie’s parents, Alan and Karen Parker, said: “She was the life and soul of the cafe. She was so nice, she made everyone laugh.
“She was sarcastic and they all loved her for it.
“She gave everybody nicknames and called them by that. It’s unbelievable how much they loved her.”
Tributes were also paid to Sophie from her loving nan and grandad, as well as by her two older brothers Keiran and AJ.
The family have run Murphy’s cafe at 9 Sycamore Centre for just over a year, but expect to reopen on Monday having shut since the tragic accident.
Tributes have also begun to be paid to Sophie online.
Neal Jones said: “R.I.P Sophie so sad, such a waste of a young life, my heart breaks for your family and close friends.”
Lisa Ballard added: “My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the poor girl.”
Police were called to the incident at 1.09am on Sunday, and Sophie was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
A South Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “Her family have been informed and are being supported by our family liaison officers.
“Three people were arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and have since been released on bail.
“Officers are appealing for anyone who may have seen the vehicle before the collision, or the collision itself, to come forward.”
You can pass information on by either calling 101 or through police’s online reporting system.
Please quote incident number 100 of October 25, 2026 when you get in touch.