A Palmerston North mother who lost three of her four children when her van crashed says police should charge her or let her family move on with their lives.
Kathie Rifle, also known as Kathie Raiwhara, was driving home from a tangi in September last year when she
crashed off State Highway 56 and into a deep culvert.
Hikurangi Rifle-Tuwhakaara-Raiwhara, aged 13 months, his sisters Ashlie, three, and Hannah, five, were killed, and their brother Tamati, eight, badly hurt in the accident near Shannon.
Ms Rifle had been told by police she was likely to be charged with three counts of careless driving causing death, and another for causing injury, The Dominion Post reported today.
She said she wished they would decide so the family could move on.
But Constable Greg Robinson said when he spoke to Ms Rifle last month she would not answer any questions about the crash, and referred them to her lawyer.
Police had sent the file to Wellington for legal advice, Mr Robinson said.
"If Mrs Rifle offered us a reasonable explanation, charges would not arise ... obviously there just isn't one there," he said.
The police investigation found driver error was likely.
Ms Rifle said she could not remember the crash, but experienced flashbacks.
She said she had been advised by her lawyer not to discuss the accident with police.
Volunteer firefighter Mark Ayson who attended the crash said Ms Rifle had been through enough and did not deserve to be charged.
She was pinned upside down in the driver's seat after the crash, holding Tamati's head above the water.
Mr Ayson said when he tried to get her out she demanded he get all the children out first.
- NZPA
