1.00pm
Charges are likely to be laid over a crash near Tauranga yesterday in which an unrestrained baby boy was killed, police said today.
Sixth-month-old Jason Farrell, of Mt Maunganui, died in the three-car collision about 4.10pm on State Highway 29.
There was no child restraint in the car the baby was travelling in with four other people and a dog, acting Sergeant Mike Fischer of Greerton police told NZPA.
Speed and alcohol were suspected factors in the crash, he said.
It appeared the car the infant was in clipped a car it was following and veered across the road into the path of a third car, Mr Fischer said.
The baby's 24-year-old mother, who was driving, was taken to Tauranga Hospital with moderate to serious injuries.
A 16-year-old male passenger was taken to hospital in Auckland with a lacerated liver.
Two back seat passengers suffered minor injures and the dog in the car was taken to the SPCA.
It was thought the baby was sitting unrestrained on the lap of one of the back seat passengers, Mr Fischer said.
A 69-year-old woman in the car hit on the other side of the road was in hospital under observation.
No one from the clipped car was injured.
"There are a lot of witnesses to the crash, which happened on a four-lane road and the investigation will take several weeks," Mr Fischer said.
- NZPA
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Latest from New Zealand
Parenting report: Recession will shape the financial futures of our kids
Raising children during a recession has hidden future benefits