A floral tribute for 13-year-old Daisy Fernandez on Ripiro beach. Photo / Brett Phibbs
A teenage motorcyclist who hit and killed a 13-year-old girl on Northland's Ripiro Beach on New Year's Eve may be spared prosecution by meeting his victim's family.
Daisy Fernandez died and her friend Claudia Billinge, also 13, suffered a broken right leg, a shattered pelvis and lost part
of her kneecap as a result of the accident, which occurred as the girls sat on the beach in the dark.
The 15-year-old Kaipara boy who struck the pair was riding an unregistered motorbike at the time.
Sergeant Jonathan Tier, of Dargaville police, told NZPA that the teenager was likely to face charges but that a final decision would be made after meeting the families of both girls at a Child Youth and Family conference.
No date had been set for the conference but it was expected to take place in the next few weeks.
Possible charges he faced included dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing injury.
Mr Tier said the matter was complicated because the youth was under 17.
"There's a whole range of issues when they are juveniles," he said.
"One of the issues is what is the best forum for the matter to be dealt with. Everyone might feel that it is that serious that only a judge can sort it out."
Claudia, who had a broken right fibia, a shattered pelvis and lost part of her right kneecap, returned to Tauranga's Otumoetai College last week.
- NZPA
