Five-year-old killed in Motueka accident named

Police have named the five-year-old boy who was killed while playing on a stack of logs in Motueka yesterday.

Glen Eric Takaro Temiha-Barlow was playing near a stack of newly-cut logs on Motueka High's rugby field when the incident happened about 5.45pm.

A group of children were playing on top of the pile, stacked three to four logs high, when one became dislodged, said Acting Senior Sergeant Rob Crawford.

"They were playing on top of the logs and jumping up and down on them and we think their actions have caused the log to become loose and roll off the stack,'' Mr Crawford told Radio New Zealand.

The logs were cut on Wednesday night from some dangerous dead trees on the grounds and had been stacked for removal today.

The pile had not been fenced off.

"There is no boundary to the logs, they were in a school field and OSH are investigating that side of it,'' Mr Crawford said.

Police and grieving family members were with the boy's body last night.

"It's traumatic for everybody involved - the family, the school and the contractors that dealt with that.''

The family was being supported by victim support, local marae and iwi, he said.

Police and the Department of Labour are investigating.

- HERALD ONLINE