By BRIDGET CARTER
The family of the Kaikohe couple killed in a crash north of Kerikeri knew the teenager who was killed in the other car, say police.
Henare Matene, 30, and Toni Porter, 31, died with their baby girl, Hokianga Matene, 1, and the driver of the other vehicle, Maaka Taurua,
17, of Ohaeawai in the Sunday night crash. Yesterday, Sergeant Peter Masters of Kerikeri said he understood that Mr Taurua's family knew the Matene family.
A relative told the Herald that Mr Taurua had finished work at an orchard and was going home with his mother and cousin when a car crossed the centre line on a bend on State Highway 10, 1km north of Waipapa, colliding with his vehicle.
Both Mr Taurua's mother and 15-year-old cousin are recovering in hospital with serious injuries. The rest of his family are at Te Tii marae in the Bay of Islands for his tangi.
The three injured Matene children are at Starship Hospital. Last night Hakopa , 7, was in a critical, but stable condition in the intensive care unit, while Heke 3, and Hereina, 2, were in stable condition in other wards.
Mr Masters said baby Hokianga, who was found cradled in her mother's arms after the crash, might have survived if she had been strapped into a car seat.
He said police in the area were alarmed to find that a day after the crash they were stopping vehicles carrying unrestrained children.
