Driveway death: Family prepare for toddler's funeral
The grieving family of a toddler killed in a driveway runover on Christmas Eve is preparing for his funeral today.
Three-year-old Te Haeata Pitiroi was struck by a car on a shared driveway in Hatepe village near Taupo at 8.55pm on Monday.
Taupo police said it appeared a woman was leaving a property down a shared driveway on Te Mako Mako Lane when her car struck Te Haeata.
Attempts to revive him at the scene were unsuccessful.
A relative of Te Haeata, who declined to be named, said she was at the tangi yesterday and the family was preparing for his funeral today.
"It's a very sad time for the family - not only for the family but for the people who live [there] and the residents who have holiday homes there.
"Everyone's in grieving over there. The family, all of them, not only the mother and father - all of the relations there are grieving."
Taupo road policing group Senior Sergeant Fane Troy said police were still investigating the incident and speaking to witnesses.
It had not yet been decided whether charges would be laid, he said.
