Mother's grab fails to save newborn

A young mother desperately tried to hold on to her newborn baby as her car rolled down a driveway, but lost her grip.

Vivianne Wood's 4-week-old girl died in the driveway accident on Kaurilands Rd on Saturday afternoon in the West Auckland suburb of Titirangi.

The 20-year-old had just pulled in to visit friends Jasmine Faulkner and Ashley Semmens, the Herald on Sunday reported.

Neighbours reported hearing hysterical screaming just after 1.30pm and saw Ms Wood smashing the silver, old-model BMW with a bar.

Paramedics were called to the house, but it was too late to save the baby girl.

Sergeant Stu Kearns, of the Waitemata serious crash unit, said it appeared the young mother reached over to the passenger side of the car from the driver's seat to grab something, and the car started rolling.

"It appears the car's moved and she's either had her feet out [the side] or tried to get out and she's been pulled out," he said.

Mr Kearns could not pinpoint the exact sequence of events as the woman and family members were far too traumatised to interview, he said.

But he said police were not treating the death as suspicious and did not believe anyone else was in the car at the time.

Mr Kearns said the body would be released to whanau today and funeral arrangements made from there.

The tragedy follows the death of a 21-month-old toddler in a Bay of Plenty driveway last November.

Father of two Daniel Thompson, 29, waved goodbye to Isabella after loading his van and hooking up the trailer. By the time he had clicked the seatbelt and his four mates had climbed in, the toddler had run unseen next to the van.

The next heart-breaking thing he felt was a "little bump".

Mr Kearns urged people to think carefully when parking cars in and exiting from driveways.

"Not only is it important to know where your children are when leaving a property, but when you park your vehicle make sure it's in gear and the handbrake is on," he said.

"Don't rely on either one on its own."