Police in Amherstburg stand by statements that texting and driving contributed to the crash that killed an 18-year-old woman.

Emily Bernauer died September 6 when her car left the road on Conc. 2 N and hit a mailbox. The release also says Bernauer wasn’t wearing her seatbelt at the time.

The Bernauer family says it was blindsided by the release, but Senior Constable Shawn McCurdy says police don’t have to have the family’s permission although it did notify the family the information was being released.

McCurdy says police release information for a number of reasons and has an obligation to the public. “Any kind of public safety thing,” he says. “In this circumstance, if we can put a message out that may assist someone else, prevent other accidents, we’ll do that as well.”