NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Parents of teen killed in hit and run still searching for answers

Catherine Gaffaney
By Catherine Gaffaney
Reporter·Herald on Sunday·
30 Jul, 2016 05:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Rangimaria White was a top scholar.

Rangimaria White was a top scholar.

Parents of a 14-year-old girl killed in a hit and run have spoken of their anguish that no one has been held accountable for their daughter's death.

Rangimaria White died after being hit by a car about 3.45am in Opotiki a year ago. The driver of the car didn't stop.

In an exclusive interview with the Herald on Sunday, her parents, Maple White and Carlene Davis, revealed police had told them they knew who was responsible for Rangimaria's death - but they did not have enough evidence to lay charges.

They said the suspect is now in jail for an unrelated matter.

Police would not confirm these details to the Herald on Sunday, but said the case was still being actively investigated.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Family and friends held a candlelit vigil at the time and place of Rangimaria's death this week, but White and Davis didn't attend as they were not ready to return to the place their happy, bubbly daughter's life was tragically cut short.

"There's no moving on until we know exactly what happened to her," Davis said.

"I still hope the person responsible, or people who know who is responsible, will feel guilt and provide police with enough evidence for them to lay charges."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Living without closure is not the only source of anguish for White and Davis.

They believe several people could have helped prevent their daughter's death.

The couple, who moved to the rural settlement of Waiohau, 30 minutes south of Edgecumbe, six months before Rangimaria's death, went away for the night of July 25 last year.

Rangimaria asked to stay with a friend in Opotiki. She told her parents they would be staying in and watching movies.

Discover more

New Zealand

Driver admits roadworks hit and run

05 Jul 04:27 AM
New Zealand

'Boy' star seriously injured in car crash

27 Jul 08:28 AM
New Zealand|crime

NZ's most hated mum speaks out

29 Jul 10:02 PM
New Zealand|crime

Teen girl's death 'tragically avoidable'

08 Dec 04:00 AM

But Rangimaria was drinking that night. White and Davis only found out when told by police the day after her funeral.

The drinks were bought by Roberta Kingi, 42, a friend of a friend. Kingi, who purchased a box of vodka pre-mixed drinks, was fined $600 in November last year for supplying alcohol to a minor.

There's no moving on until we know exactly what happened to her.

Carlene Davis

The night she died, Rangimaria and a friend tried to attend an Opotiki College after-ball function but were turned away by parental security. About 3.30am on July 26, Rangimaria collapsed on Goring St.

Her friend was unable to move her so she yelled for help. No one answered.

She knocked and cried out for help at a few neighbouring properties, but no one responded.

Panicked, the friend ran to her home to get help. Rangimaria was struck as she lay in the road and the car sped away.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"If I'd known Rangimaria would have been able to go off drinking from her friend's, I wouldn't have let her stay there," Davis said.

"If I'd found out on the night that she was drinking and trying to get into a party, she would have been in a world of trouble, but she would have been alive.

"Rangimaria was a top student. She had never drunk in her life. She had absolutely no idea how to handle alcohol."

Davis was thankful the girls were turned away from the after-ball event but "quite disgusted" adults didn't ensure they got home.

Residents of one of the neighbouring properties later admitted hearing Rangimaria's friend knocking and yelling for help.

Davis found it "pretty gutting" they did nothing. White added: "If something can come from this tragedy, I hope it's that people will be held to account for supplying alcohol to children."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

• Anyone with information about the hit and run is asked to contact their local police station, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

Crime

'Naughty' parolee holding woman at gunpoint left after telling off from toddler

22 Jun 08:00 AM
New Zealand

New Zealander arrested in France charged with attempted murder of political activist

22 Jun 06:37 AM
New Zealand

Two critically injured after multi-vehicle crash on key Auckland road

22 Jun 05:50 AM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

'Naughty' parolee holding woman at gunpoint left after telling off from toddler

'Naughty' parolee holding woman at gunpoint left after telling off from toddler

22 Jun 08:00 AM

He had earlier been locked up for outrageously dangerous driving. It was caught on video.

New Zealander arrested in France charged with attempted murder of political activist

New Zealander arrested in France charged with attempted murder of political activist

22 Jun 06:37 AM
Two critically injured after multi-vehicle crash on key Auckland road

Two critically injured after multi-vehicle crash on key Auckland road

22 Jun 05:50 AM
37 players split Lotto Second Division win – where the tickets were sold

37 players split Lotto Second Division win – where the tickets were sold

22 Jun 05:06 AM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search