Kymani Hiley-Hetaraka was taken to Christchurch Hospital in acritical condition a week ago after suffering an unsurvivable head injury at the city’s Alpine Ice Sports Centre.
Curtis Gwatkin and Maraea Hetaraka, Kymani’s parents, say their “baby” should not have had to die for something to change and that she should have been wearing a helmet.
Kymani Hiley-Hetaraka died in Christchurch Hospital last Thursday following an ice skating accident. Photo / Supplied
He said just two weeks before her fatal accident, Kymani tried to rollerskate with her sister and fell “multiple times”.
“I never knew that they would end up taking them ice skating. I would have said, ‘hell no’.”
Both parents were told students were given the option of wearing helmets but they all refused.
“It should have been compulsory, it should have been enforced,” Gawtkin said.
“Why does my baby have to die for people to have to do something?”
Kymani died after suffering an unsurvivable head injury while ice skating on a school trip.
In the days following the incident, Alpine Ice Sports Centre introduced a mandatory helmet policy.
“From Monday 5 August, all customers are required to wear a helmet while attending our public skating sessions. Helmets are provided free of charge by Alpine, or skaters may prefer to bring their own well-fitting cycle helmet,” the company wrote on social media.
WorkSafe earlier told the Herald an investigation into the facility’s safety procedures was underway.
Gwatkin said the Alpine Ice Sports Centre had not reached out to their family at any stage since their daughter was taken from the rink in an ambulance.
Heteraka described Kymani as “kind, caring and helpful”.
