A motorcycle crash involving younger children

[Paul in NZ]

Just read over in TM mb that it may have been the children's dad that hit them... What a horrific tradgity.

Oh Shit.... I hope not...

Pohangina Valley residents are in shock today after two small boys were killed while riding a 70cc farm bike metres from their home gate yesterday.


The boys were brothers aged five and seven.

It's understood the boys were riding the farm bike and there was a collision with a vehicle on the Opawe Road at about 6.30pm.

The road runs off Pohangina Valley East Road toward the Ruahine Range, near the Highland Home.

Details of the accident on the narrow, gravel, no-exit road are not yet known, but the driver of the car was not injured.

It's understood the driver knew the boys.

Ashhurst police worked until the early hours today.

Both boys went to Awahou School and it's understood the five year old had only just started.

Awahou School principal Chris Mitchell was devastated by the news.

"What do you do at a time like this?" Mr Mitchell said last night.

He didn't know how he was going to tell his pupils today.

The school has a roll of 56. Trauma counsellors will be brought in to help children and staff deal with the tragedy, he said.

It's understood the boys have another sibling who is also a pupil at the school.

Police at the scene last night were close to tears as forensic staff examined the area.

News filtered through the tight-knit community last night and neighbours were visibly shaken by the incident, many in tears.

Residents would have this week been commemorating the first anniversary of the floods that devastated the area, washing out bridges and cutting off the school.

The Square Trust rescue helicopter was sent to the scene but was not needed.

[Ms Piggy]

I feel for all involved. I can assume that the driver of the vehicle feels absolutely horrified by the situation, a real tragedy. I was amazed when I heard it on the radio this morning.

[Coyote]

Bloody shame, their bike got hit by a car. The car driver would have to be feeling pretty poor

What happened to the car driver? I didn't hear about them

[Storm]

The car driver was thier father in a 4 x 4. Apparently he came round the corner and had no time to do anything.

[Krusti]

GOD How would ya live with that.......Dont think I could...

[marty]

The car driver was thier father in a 4 x 4. Apparently he came round the corner and had no time to do anything.

if that's true then that is a shocker. it is a pity though that some people don't allow their children to develop within the confines of their age - one HAS to ask what they were doing on the road....would you let your 5-10 year olds ride their push bikes on the road?

[onearmedbandit]

This is just so so sad, I feel for all invoved. The poor father, just received his own life sentence. I hope can find the strength to, well just to make it through all this. I know there are many others affected, and I hope the same for them all as well, but if it was the father driving, words can't describe how this poor man must be feeling.

[Krusti]

if that's true then that is a shocker. it is a pity though that some people don't allow their children to develop within the confines of their age - one HAS to ask what they were doing on the road....would you let your 5-10 year olds ride their push bikes on the road?

My initial reaction when I heard this on news this morning was that those bloody parents should be charged. But if these facts are correct then any punishment is going to be nothing compared to living the rest of your life knowing what you had done!

Other parents though should note this incident, but many wont. That is what pisses me off. They do not realise young children neither have the nouse or strength to operate ANY machinery in these situations.

Very SAD....Poor bastards

[Motu]

I can't bear to think about it,I'd want to top myself,in the worse way I could.

I grew up on a no exit street....we lived on the road.My girls learnt to ride their bikes on a gravel no exit street...they lived on the road.Shit happens,but oh God,that's a whole sewage treatment plant!

[Aitch]

I've got a 3 yr old and a 6 yr old.....can't imagine losing both at once....those poor parents..

[Blakamin]

saw the news version on 3...

fuckin shattered.... there is nothing I can say....






to you, the dad, if you ever see this.... It's not your fault, you tried and it was just a tragic accident..... forgive yourself, please......


the boys are away to a better place.....

[MD]

saw the news version on 3...

there is nothing I can say....






to you, the dad, if you ever see this.... It's not your fault, you tried and it was just a tragic accident..... forgive yourself, please......


the boys are away to a better place.....

Well said. Can a news story be anymore upsetting than that?
When the first bit came out last night I thought, well the parents shouldn't have allowed them on the road. Then we hear the rest of the story and the fact that the parents had told the boys never to ride on the road and, like all us parents, they would have felt safe in the knowledge all was in order.
Heartbreaking thinking about how the Father must be suffering.

[Gen]

I am an early childhood teacher of children aged 0-6 and unfortunatly New Zealand has a very high rate of child neglect and the child death rate due to accidents is extremally high.

At one time, more children in New Zealand were being killed in accidents where they were run over in their own driveways, often by an parent.

I know their are a lot of caring, responsible parents out there, but there are also a lot of parents who could not give a damn.

In this case, it sounds like it was just a terrible accident, but it seems to me that parents are a bit blind/naieve when it comes to their children's capabilities.

Children should not be riding on the open road, it's a big no no.They don't have the maturity and responsibility to be careful at all times, because THEY ARE CHILDREN.They are not miniature adults, and therefore, cannot be expected to be put in adult situations.

The father of the children must be suffering deep grief and self blame, and yes, it is his fault.He hit them, even though it was an accident, but they should not have been out there.

But no parent deserves to lose their precious children to learn a lesson in parenting.
I know what it's like to lose a child, but not to an accident like this
He has my sympathy,he will be suffering, but it is too late for those boys

[StoneChucker]

I have no words, other than what has already been said. Utterly depressing I hope the father is able to live the rest of his life with some peace, but I doubt that. It wasn't his fault, but he'll feel that it is. I hope the remaining family sticks together.

Just sad.

[spudchucka]

if that's true then that is a shocker.

From the accounts I've heard around here it is true. It was apparently a blind bend or crest in the road and the driver could do nothing to avoid the impact.