A small Hawke’s Bay community is mourning the death of a much-loved high school student in a highway car crash.
Kaos Kotuhi-Brown, 14, was killed in a single-vehicle crash reported to police on State Highway 2, between Ohinepaka and Mōhaka, near Wairoa about 11.15am on Sunday.
Police said four other people in the car were also injured and were taken to hospital by three rescue helicopters.
“Tragically a teenage boy died in the crash,” Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Moorhouse said.
“We’re still looking at the cause of the crash. No other vehicle was involved that we’re aware of.”
Of the others in the car, a 12-year-old girl from Wairoa was on Tuesday recovering after surgery in a stable condition in ICU at Hawke’s Bay Regional Hospital in Hastings.
A 58-year-old woman from Wairoa was in Hutt Hospital with head injuries. She was in a serious but stable condition, police said.
A 20-year-old woman was treated and discharged from hospital. A 3-year-old girl from Auckland had also been released from hospital.
Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said it was a devastating loss for the community.
“It’s a sad, tragic accident for this little boy who left so many hearts broken,” Little said.
“Even though he was young, he made the most of his life, always with a smile on his face.”
Wairoa College principal Jo Vennell told Hawke’s Bay Today Kaos was an engaged and much-loved student.
“Kaos was a valued member of our school who will be dearly missed. He involved himself fully in all aspects of school and always with a smile on his face,” Vennell said.
“He enjoyed doing fun activities with his peers, getting out and about around school, and being in our Motuhake centre with our caring teacher and teacher aides.”
Vennell also expressed condolences to Kaos’ family.
“Our thoughts are with Rangi, Allen, and whānau at this tragic time. Our aroha and sincere condolences goes out to them.”
Wairoa Primary School, where Kaos spent his first seven years of education, shared a tribute to him in a Facebook post.
“Words will never truly express the utter sorry and sadness we feel as a kura and community at the sudden passing of Kaos,” they wrote.
“Staff [and] students loved and embraced his character and charm.”
Many members of the community are also sharing heartfelt tributes and memories of Kaos.
One wrote, “your smile made us all smile Kaos” and another, “rest easy young man, you were taken way too soon”. - Hawkes Bay Today
