13-year-old Northland boy dies after he was found injured near stolen car

Police are appealing for witnesses to a crash involving a stolen car that may have led to the death of a 13-year-old boy.

Emergency services were called to Bonnett Rd in Kaitaia about 11.30pm on Sunday and found a teenage boy injured on the ground near a crashed stolen car.

Other boys thought to have been in the car had fled, leaving him behind.

The injured boy was taken to Kaitaia Hospital, where he was treated and discharged on Monday morning.

He died later that day at home on Bonnett Rd, about 1km from the crash scene.

A post mortem was completed on Wednesday but toxicology test results had yet to be received, and the boy's cause of death could not be confirmed.

Detective Sergeant Russell Richards said the investigation into the crash and the boy's death was ongoing.

He urged anyone who had seen a white 2003 Suzuki Grand Vitara, registration DDR570, in the western Kaitaia area between 9pm and 11.30pm on Sunday to call the Kaitaia station on (09) 408 6500.