Young crash victim’s mum lashes out at lack of support

Simone Cooper has buried her son and her husband lies in a coma - still unaware his first-born child is dead.

Now the Tokoroa mum has the added stress of paying more than $100 a day for accommodation, parking and food, on top of a mortgage and existing household bills, so she can be by her husband's side.

Mrs Cooper and her children Rikaysia, 6, and Logan, 2, have moved from their home in Tokoroa to accommodation near the hospital so they can be near their husband and dad.

"It's just expected that we will be able to afford this - there is no help at all," she said.

Eight-year-old Liam was killed a month ago when a car driven by Taupo man Pehi Rangi, 24, slammed into the car he was in, shunting it into a power transformer where it burst into flames.

Liam's dad Mark was critically injured and their friend Rowan Pringle, in the driver's seat, was seriously hurt.

Rangi, who has a history of mental illness, has been charged with manslaughter and has been remanded in custody until June 15.

Mrs Cooper is upset and angry she has been offered no financial help at such a distressing time.

"I lie here at night and worry about bills when I have my husband in a coma and I have lost my son. I would have thought in a situation like this there would be some help."

She claims the family even had trouble getting the Accident Compensation Corporation payment for the 80 per cent of Mr Cooper's bakery manager wages they are entitled to. "ACC wanted a medical certificate and the hospital were very slow at doing it," Mrs Cooper said.

"In the end we used stories from the newspaper to show them what had happened."

ACC spokesman Fraser Folster said the corporation was required by law to have clinical evidence.

"But we encourage providers to be as quick as they can be and if the hospital hasn't been as quick as they should be we would certainly have something to say about it."

Mrs Cooper, who buried Liam just over a week ago, is dreading telling her husband their son is dead.

"He is going to take it very hard because he and Liam had such a strong relationship, right from the start."

Mr Cooper has multiple internal injuries, broken bones and serious burns. The family will not know if he is paralysed until he is out of the coma.

But Mrs Cooper said her husband was a fighter and she was counting on him getting better to get her through the upcoming court case.

"I want to go to court because I want to see the bastard who killed my boy," she said breaking down. "I want to see the man who stole my little boy from me."

Inspector Bob Burns said Taupo police had spoken to more than 40 witnesses to the crash and the case was "ready to go". Police also have a video of the crash.

"All I can say about the video is that there is some interesting footage on it," he said.

Rangi's lawyer Matthew Bates said his client was still at the mental health unit at Waikato Hospital.

"He will have a second assessment and report done but until then he is carrying on with his programme and treatment, and hopefully improving."

- Herald on Sunday