Police can advise an unborn child has died following a serious crash on State Highway 1 in Okaihau on Monday evening.
Inspector Riki Whiu, Far North Area Commander, says Police were called to the crash involving two vehicles around 9.08pm.
“Tragically, one of the people taken to the hospital with critical injuries was pregnant and that baby has now died.
“The woman remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition and Police are providing support to her loved ones.”
Three other people, who were in the other vehicle involved, were transported to hospital with injuries ranging from critical to moderate.
“As previously advised, upon Police arrival to the scene, further enquiries suggest one of the vehicles involved was stolen in an earlier incident on Monday from Moerewa.
“Those in this vehicle were aged from 12 to 17.”
Inspector Whiu says Police did not have involvement with this vehicle prior to this crash.
“Emergency services responded to the crash as we would with any. It was not until our attending staff were making enquiries into the vehicles involved that it was determined to have been stolen.”
The Serious Crash Unit was in attendance and an investigation into the circumstances of the crash is ongoing.
“While there are aspects of this crash we are not able to comment on at this time, I can say this is a horrific incident that was come about through selfish and mindless behaviour that has denied one of our mokopuna life," Inspector Whiu says.
“Those involved were unlicensed youths, one of which, the driver, was not yet a teenager.
“This incident is a direct impact of their actions and tragically a life has been lost.
"It is absolutely the worst outcome for us as a community, whānau and all other responding emergency services who attend these incidents.
"Ka nui te mamae!”
ENDS.
Anna Thompson/NZ Police