Aitua Puriri admits manslaughter of Whangārei toddler Reign Puriri

Reign Puriri, 3, died in February this year after falling from a moving vehicle. Photo / Givealittle

A toddler’s day on the farm with his uncle and cousin turned into tragedy when the 3-year-old fell to his death from a moving vehicle.

Reign Matamaru Tuhirangi Puriri died on February 23 this year after he fell out of the window of a ute being driven by Aitua Kino Puriri.

Puriri, Reign’s uncle, was subsequently charged with his manslaughter.

For the past four months, the case has been quietly progressing through court, but now details on the tragic event can be revealed after the summary of facts was released to NZME today.

The court documents were issued after Puriri, 36, pleaded guilty to manslaughter at an appearance in the High Court at Whangārei last month.

He was remanded on bail and will be sentenced in October.

According to the summary of facts, on the day of Reign’s death, he was in the care of Puriri while his father was out running chores.

About 1.30pm, Puriri drove his ute from his home on Church Rd in Ngāraratanua to a neighbouring property.

Puriri’s 4-year-old daughter and Reign were in the vehicle with him.

Neither child was restrained, and the ute’s warrant of fitness and vehicle registration had expired in 2023.

They travelled along 160m of road and then 370m of unsealed driveway to the neighbour’s property, where the three spent some time.

The distance from the house to the site of the fall. Photo / Supplied

When they left, the children climbed into the vehicle through the driver’s door, with Reign taking the passenger seat and Puriri’s daughter in the rear. Both were unrestrained.

As Puriri drove the ute away from the neighbour’s property, both children stood up.

The vehicle was 38m down the driveway as it took a moderate curve and Reign leaned out the window, lost his balance and fell to the ground.

Puriri stopped the ute and checked on Reign, who was unresponsive.

He picked the toddler up and put him in the ute and then drove at speed to get help from his partner.

They drove to Hato Hone St John’s ambulance hub in Kensington, Whangārei, and Reign was then taken to the hospital.

Shortly after, he was pronounced dead from injuries he suffered in the fall.

When Puriri was later questioned by police, he told officers he was travelling around 10km/h.

“I didn’t think I was going very fast,” he stated.

He could not recall whether the manual vehicle was in first or second gear.

Puriri was charged with his nephew’s manslaughter in late March, in particular regarding neglect of his legal duty to provide the necessaries and protect Reign from injury.

Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei-based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.