KEY POINTS:
The family of a young man shot dead during the motorway police pursuit have suffered another tragedy.
A 17-year-old girl, understood to be a cousin of Halatau "Tau" Naitoko, was found dead on the porch of her home just days after the shooting victim's funeral.
Halatau, who was
also 17, was accidently shot dead by police two weeks ago as they tried to stop a gunman allegedly holding a truck driver hostage on the Northwestern Motorway.
It is understood the girl grew up with Halatau and struggled to deal with his death and then his funeral on Friday last week. Her parents were at Halatau's family property when she died. She was found by older siblings who were at home with her.
The girl, who was understood to be a promising young sportswoman, was farewelled by grieving relatives on Thursday. A number of flowers and wreaths left over from Halatau's burial were placed on her grave.
While the death comes as yet another blow to Halatau's family, there has been good news this week with the birth of a boy, who has been named Halatau after his late brother.
Halatau's mother, Ivoni Fuimaono, told the Weekend Herald she and her husband Kepu held the baby in their arms just moments after he was born and said a little prayer, thanking God for him.
"I hold him and then we say the prayer and then I told him, 'Your name is going to be Hala' ... just like his brother, and I hope he's going to be like him."
Little Halatau was born at 5.13pm on Thursday - 10 days after he was due - timing his mother believes was meant to give her time to deal with her son's death and funeral before welcoming the new addition to the family.
"I knew he was not going to come until we put my boy to rest."
Mrs Fuimaono said that not wanting to wake the rest of the family, she drove herself to hospital, and gave birth to the 3.56kg baby eight hours later.
She said that during the labour, she felt Halatau's presence in the room.
"He was there all the time, I knew it. He kept on saying, 'Come on mum, you can do it'."
Mrs Fuimaono said little Halatau, with a mop of dark hair, looks "exactly like Hala when he was born".
Meanwhile, Mrs Fuimaono said she had received a letter from the family of Stephen McDonald, who is now before the courts facing charges in relation to the armed pursuit that led to Halatau's death.
McDonald's lawyer Roger Chambers said on Thursday that the accused had written to the grieving family.
Mrs Fuimaono said it arrived with a bunch of flowers but she had not had time to read it. "I have seen the letter but I haven't read it. It wasn't from him - it was from his family."
