Family and friends salute fun-loving young mother

Claire Perrett died but her toddler survived when her Mazda Familia left the road and rolled into a ditch. Photo / Dean Purcell

Family and friends have paid tribute to a young mother who died when her car rolled into a ditch near her parents' home in a crash that her 2-year-old son survived.

Police are still investigating the cause of the collision which left former Kaipara College student Claire Elyse Perrett dead.

The 22-year-old had failed to take a sharp corner - which locals said was a notorious accident spot - and her Mazda Familia rolled, landing upside down in a ditch on Taylor Rd, Waimauku, in West Auckland.

Her 2-year-old son Chase screamed for his mother from his upside down carseat in the back seat as neighbours tried desperately to free him from the jammed doors.

Emergency services freed the toddler and he was taken to Starship Hospital but released the next day.

High school friend Simone Brock, 22, had known Ms Perrett since the pair were 13.

"She was the person that always made everyone laugh, she would laugh and everyone would laugh at her laugh.

"We just had so many funny moments."

One of Ms Brock's favorite memories of Ms Perrett was when the pair and another friend were sitting in the school hall and she started singing Usher's You Got It Bad at the top of her lungs.

"Her Dad worked at the school ... they all came running in and go 'What was that?'. Claire said 'Oh sorry'. We just used to crack jokes."

The young mother had two older brothers, Sam and Adam, Ms Brock said.

"She's the baby sister, she's the only girl.

"They were protective of her but, you know how brothers are, they didn't like to show it, but they were. If you look at the photos on Facebook of when she'd just had Chase, the photos of Sam and Adam holding Chase, it's just like it's their baby."

A death notice from Ms Perrett's partner Aaron, parents, Debra and Jon, and brother also made mention of Ms Perrett's laugh.

"Her smile and infectious laugh lights up the room. We will always miss your warmth and love. We will love you forever."

Sergeant Stu Kearns of the Waitemata serious crash unit said investigations were still continuing into the cause of the crash. Ms Perrett was thought to be wearing a seatbelt.

Friends and family have also paid tribute to Ms Perrett on Facebook.

Paea Steele said: "We all need too start taking the good from the bad, the happy from the sad, and instead of showing hate start showing love, don't think 'I'll tell them I love them tomorrow', do it today. Don't say 'I'll catch up with them at a later date' [because] that date might just be taken away from you before you even realise."

A cousin, Amanda Perrett, says: "You will be missed by everyone, taken from us far to soon, we will never forget your beautiful smile and personality, you live on in Chase, we know Great Grandma Gwen will be looking after you now, love you heaps cuz."

Ms Perrett's funeral is to be held on Monday afternoon at the Morrison Funeral Home in Henderson.