What Happened to David’s Wife in Home and Away? The Truth About Kristina’s Death

David Langham’s late wife Kristina is back in focus in Home and Away as his growing relationship with Amelia forces him to confront whether he is finally ready to move on.

In the UK episode shown on Thursday 17 September 2026, David struggles with the idea of another relationship and the guilt he feels over Kristina. He eventually looks at a photograph of his late wife and removes his wedding ring, making the history behind her death important again.

But what actually happened to Kristina, and why did her death cause such a huge divide between daughters Jo and Lacey?

How did Kristina die in Home and Away?

Kristina died following a car crash while Jo was behind the wheel. For a long time, Jo could not remember exactly what had happened immediately before the accident, leaving major questions over who was responsible.

The tragedy tore the Langham family apart. Lacey blamed Jo for their mum’s death, while Jo was left carrying the weight of being behind the wheel when Kristina died.

However, Jo later underwent hypnotherapy and began recovering memories from the crash.

She remembered another vehicle coming towards them and forcing her to swerve, as well as someone checking on Kristina afterwards before leaving.

Those memories eventually helped point the investigation towards Councillor Craig Wendell.

Was Jo responsible for Kristina’s death?

No. Although Jo was driving the car that crashed, the investigation established that Wendell had caused her to swerve.

Lacey later became determined to expose Wendell and confronted him, but the situation ended in another tragedy. Wendell drove his car towards Lacey, only for Theo to push her out of the way and be struck instead. Theo died after saving her.

Wendell was eventually caught, and David charged him with dangerous driving causing Kristina’s death, alongside the charges relating to what happened to Theo and Lacey.

The truth finally cleared Jo of responsibility for causing her mum’s death, but discovering what really happened could never undo the damage Kristina’s death had caused the family.

Why is Kristina important again now?

The mystery surrounding Kristina’s death may have been resolved, but David still has to deal with losing his wife.

His feelings for Amelia have brought that grief back to the surface, while Lacey has struggled with the prospect of her dad moving on. Jo, meanwhile, has been more supportive of David finding happiness again.

That makes David removing his wedding ring particularly significant.

Kristina remains a huge part of the Langham family’s story, but it appears David is finally allowing himself to look towards the future.

Home and Away is available to stream in the UK on 5, with episodes also airing on 5STAR.