Brother left grieving for his best mate

Corey Ngakuru was killed as he and his brother ate pizza in the back seat of the family car. Photo / Supplied

When 7-year-old Anthony Ngakuru hops on the bus to go back to school it won't be the same.

His big brother and best mate Corey won't be there to watch out for him. The autistic 10-year-old was killed instantly on Friday last week when a car hit the back of his parents' vehicle north of Auckland as he and Anthony ate pizza together in the back seat.

The boys' mother, Jodi, had driven from their home near Wellsford down to Silverdale to pick up their father, Patrick, from work before the family bought dinner. Instead of going back the way they had come - the short-cut over the Northern Gateway toll road - the family decided to take the scenic route around the seaside towns of Orewa, Hatfields Beach and Waiwera, which Mrs Ngakuru says was "the worst decision of my life".

They were on the Hibiscus Coast Highway near Hatfields Beach when the car started "fish-tailing".

"We think there was an oil spill on the road," Mrs Ngakuru said. "We were weaving, but I thought I had corrected and then the car flicked out and the oncoming car slammed straight into Corey's side."

Anthony was flown by rescue helicopter to Starship hospital and his parents were taken to Auckland City Hospital with minor injuries. Two adults in the other car also suffered minor injuries.

Sergeant Stu Kearns of the Waitemata serious crash unit said police were still awaiting an engineer's report and blood test results to determine the cause of the crash. They are also yet to take full statements from each driver.

The Ngakuru family, who also have a 14-year-old daughter, swapped their house at Papamoa Beach two years ago for farm life at Tomarata, about 20km northeast of Wellsford. They moved into one of two houses on the dairy farm of Mrs Ngakuru's brother.

The Wind Sock Farm sign outside the property has temporarily been replaced with "Corey's Place", Mrs Ngakuru said.

"He loved helping his uncle on the back of the motorbike, rounding up the cows, getting off the bike to open and close the gates, doing all the jobs grown-ups probably didn't like to do."

Corey had grown in leaps and bounds at Tomarata School, where he had a teacher aid.

He was very protective of his little brother, Mrs Ngakuru said.

"He always had a big smile on his face. He had some difficulties with language but it didn't stop him living his life."