KEY POINTS:
The 15-year-old West Auckland girl killed in a car crash near Muriwai Beach will be remembered as an outgoing, bubbly student who was a role model to others, her form teacher said yesterday.
Richelle Murphy died when she was partially thrown from a two-door Suzuki Escudo 4WD which rolled several times on Coast Rd about 9.45pm on Sunday.
She was the front-seat passenger and not wearing a seatbelt.
Police believe - but cannot yet confirm - that the three 15-year-old girls who survived the crash were also riding unrestrained.
All were enrolled at Massey High School, which is still in shock at the loss of one of its students.
Teacher Fiona Castle said Richelle had been in her form class for 18 months, since transferring from the bilingual class, where lessons are taught in te reo Maori.
"She was a top academic student," she said.
"She was a hard-working, positive student and a much-loved member of the school. She was ... a good role model, just a real delight to have at school. She'll be sorely missed."
Mrs Castle said the Year 11 form class met on Monday to "be together and to pray".
She said the school's marae had been set aside as a memorial which had been visited by a steady stream of students paying tribute to the teenager, who had many friends.
"[She had a] very outgoing, bubbly personality, she's got many, many friends within the school."
Mrs Castle said students had also made a "memory book" which would be given to Richelle's parents.
Police investigating the crash are considering speed, driver inexperience and not wearing a seatbelt as factors contributing to the teenager's death but it could be weeks or months before exactly what took place on Sunday night is known.
It is believed the driver of the car was on a restricted licence, which prohibits carrying passengers without a supervisor aged 20 or over who has had a licence for more than two years.
A decision on whether charges will be laid is pending the police inquiry.
Acting Sergeant Colin Nuttall, of the Waitemata serious crash unit, said police would also look at the mechanical condition of the vehicle to find if that had contributed to the crash.
He expected interviews with the three survivors would not occur until at least next week.
Richelle Murphy will be farewelled at Massey High's marae tomorrow at 12.30pm.
The teenager's family did not wish to comment.
