Manslaughter charge in kindergarten teacher death

Emergency services at the crash scene in Napier.

Pam McGarva was on her way to a quiz night when a car hit hers.

The 55-year-old kindergarten teacher had to be cut from her car on Napier's Prebensen Drive on July 9 and spent 10 days in a coma. Her room was bursting with flowers and cards from her young charges when she passed away.

Now eight months later, the young woman driving the other car has been charged with her manslaughter.

Lyree Anne Sayers, of Puketapu, appeared in Napier District Court yesterday charged with causing Ms McGarva's death "by an unlawful act, namely intentional damage and thereby committed manslaughter".

Pam McGarva.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The 25-year-old did not enter a plea and her lawyer, Eric Forster, did not seek suppression of her name.

Further details of the court file were suppressed.

Sayers was remanded on bail to appear in the High Court in Napier on March 30.

At the time, Ms McGarva's death shocked her friends and family.

She had been part of the Napier Kindergarten Association for 12 years and taught at Carlyle Kindergarten for eight years.

The Napier kindergarten was reeling after the crash, and held a candlelit vigil for Ms McGarva while she was in a coma.

New Zealand fashion designer Annah Stretton and Ms McGarva were best friends when they attended Karamu High School in Hastings.

After the funeral last year she paid tribute to her old friend in a blogpost, saying: "It is absolutely true what they say, that only the very, very good people die young. Bad things happen to good people.

"Rest in peace Pam, your extraordinary life and all the people you have touched will never forget the wonderful ray of sunshine that was Pam McGarva."

Carlyle Kindergarten head teacher Danny Mills said yesterday she believed the police had done "a very good job" and the charges would give Ms McGarva's friends and family closure.

"I know it will do for [Pam's family], and for me, I guess it does."