Dayna, 43, regularly texts Madi to tell her she loves and misses her. She updates her on her siblings’ sporting successes.
Madison (Madi) Chamberlain, 19, was killed at Muriwai Beach after a ute flipped, throwing her from the vehicle and crushing her to death.
Her father Tony believes her death was senseless and avoidable. His family will never forgive the driver, Jesse Hodge, who in March pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving and causing death while under the influence of MDMA.
Madison Chamberlain's grandmother Sue and her father Tony. They will never forgive the driver for destroying their family.
Photo / Jason Oxenham.
“We are so angry,” Tony told the Herald. “We invited Jesse into our house. There is no way we will forgive him - never. He has broken our family; he has destroyed us.”
Tony claims Madi was petrified before the accident when Hodge started “swerving” and being reckless. He claims Madi yelled at him to stop.
“Out of all the kids, Madi was the most sensible. She had done a lot of beach driving with us over the years and would never have dreamt of putting her life at risk.
“It was a real shock, her going on the back of the ute after the driver nearly rolled it earlier. Madi wouldn’t hop into a car with a dangerous driver because of how we parented her.
“Her friend, who was there, told me that the other person on the back of the ute tried to get the driver to stop. The passenger in the vehicle said ‘Slow down, you are going too fast,’ but Jesse said, “Watch this, I’m going to scare them’.
“That’s when the ute tipped, killing my daughter. I am devastated.”
Tony Chamberlain with his daughter Madison. He says her death was senseless and avoidable. Photo / Supplied.
A summary of facts revealed Hodge obtained his restricted licence in March 2022. He drove along the beach at about 70km/h, despite the 60km/h speed limit.
A condition on his restricted licence was that he could only drive automatic vehicles but the ute was a manual.
The group paused for a break and seating arrangements were changed. Two people, including Madi, got into the back tray of the ute. After driving off, Hodge swerved from side to side intentionally to do “snakies” or “swervies”.
Madison Chamberlain died at Muriwai beach on January 21. She was on the back tray of a ute when it flipped and crushed her.
Photo / Supplied.
The front wheels lodged into a patch of soft sand during a right turn, sending Madi and a friend in the ute’s tray flying as it flipped and rolled. During the roll the ute ‘impacted’ with Madi, who died from “instant” non-survivable injuries.
In his first interview with the Herald Tony, 45, claims Hodge nearly rolled his vehicle half an hour earlier.
“That should have been a warning. He was driving down the beach and turning hard left and right, driving over the limit.
“I have driven a lot of 4WDs and struggled with that beach, it’s scary. He shouldn’t have been driving, he’d only had the car for a week and a condition of his restricted licence was he could only drive an automatic car.”
Madison's father Tony Chamberlain is advocating for stricter guidelines on beaches. Photo/ Jason Oxenham
Tony Chamberlain wants to see stricter guidelines around driving on beaches.
Auckland Council general manager, Taryn Crewe said in a statement: “We have worked hard over many years to introduce measures at Muriwai Beach that aim to enhance safety and protect this fragile environment.
“The 45-kilometre beach area presents numerous challenges in terms of managing access and balancing the interests of recreational users, emergency vehicles and customary rights.
“Effective enforcement of permit breaches and irresponsible driver behaviour continues to be challenging, due to the practicality of managing a remote and vast beach environment.”
Auckland Council says drivers need a beach driving permit on Muriwai beach and all road rules apply. Photo / Dean Purcell.
Crewe said driving on Muriwai Beach required additional driving skills and extreme caution as it was a dangerous and changing environment.
“To drive on Muriwai Beach, you must hold a beach driving permit, which you need to renew each year, and all road rules apply.
“We expect the public to follow the same rules they would on the road, including staying within the speed limit, not driving recklessly and ensuring their vehicle is registered and warranted.
“The foreshore terrain is even more dangerous, making adhering to these rules even more important.
Emergency services on Muriwai Beach on January 21 after Madison Chamberlain was crushed by a ute. Photo/ Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust
“In the short term, we continue to work with police and support initiatives like Operations Black Sands that involves police patrolling the beach.”
At first, Tony believed Hodge made a genuine mistake but then changed his mind when he discovered he was driving under the influence of drugs.
“We were so angry when stuff came out about how high he was and how much MDMA was in his system.”
Tony Chamberlain with his family . He says their worlds have been turned upside down and they are re-traumatised by the delay of the driver's sentencing. From left: Tony, Madison, Hunter, Jonni-Rose and Dayna.
In March, Jesse Hodge pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving and causing death while under the influence of MDMA.
He has been granted bail. The maximum penalty on the drug-driving charge is 10 years imprisonment or a $20,000 fine, while a three-month jail term or $4500 is the maximum for dangerous driving.
Tony believes the charges are too lenient. He and his family are also frustrated Hodge’s sentencing has been delayed so he can attend The Right Track, a programme that targets young people, adults and recidivist offenders apprehended for driving offences.
“Our worlds have been turned upside down, we are re-traumatised by the delay. I am p***ed off - in my opinion, he’s doing a course in the hope of a lighter sentence.
“He has pleaded guilty, so why couldn’t the course be part of his sentence?
“We are gutted, we have no closure. I am speaking out because I don’t want this to happen to anyone else.”
The Herald approached Hodge’s mother, who declined to comment.
Madi was Tony and Dayna Chamberlain’s eldest daughter and a caring sister to her siblings Jonni-Rose, 17, and Hunter, 14.
Madison Chamberlain, was the "joker' of the family. She was a loving sister to her siblings. L-R Tony Chamberlain , son Hunter,Jonni-Rose, mum Dayna and Madison. Photo / Supplied
“Madi was different, she was the ‘joker’ of the family and to her friends,” Tony said.
“She was always taking photos of me, hoping she’d get my builder’s crack, my double-chins or picking my nose. I miss the banter and her caring vibe.”
Her mother, Dayna, said Madi was “coming out of her shell,” and growing in confidence.
“She started going to the gym and really flourished when she met her boyfriend. She was generous and would spend her last cent on her friends. I miss her laughs and her giggles. Madi was the heart of our family and loved by us all. We are so broken,” Dayna said.
Sue Chamberlain says her Madison, struggled with self-doubt but came out of her shell when she started working at New World supermarket.
L- R Tony, Jonni-Rose, Sue, (grandmother) Dayna (mum) Brian ( grandfather) Madison, Photo / Supplied
Her grandmother, Sue Chamberlain says Madi struggled with self-doubt when she was young but grew in confidence when she started working at the supermarket. This year she was planning to apply for a job with Air New Zealand as a flight attendant.
Madison was Sue and Brian Chamberlain's first grandchild who used to say, "You know I am nanna and poppa's favourite." Photo / Supplied
“Madi was our first grandchild; she was like our own. She used to say; ’You know I am nanna and poppa’s favourite’. We miss giving her money to buy clothes (and her) not filling up her car when it was running on empty.
“We miss her hugs. I am glad we are at the back end of our lives, so our mourning time is shorter. If Jesse’s parents are lucky enough to be grandparents, only then will they know how we feel,” Sue said.
Tony, a builder and landscape gardener says he is “stuck” and he and the family are unable to get on with their lives. And so are Madi’s friends who were there that day - especially her boyfriend, Ben. Hodge will not be sentenced until January, just a few days before the anniversary of Madi’s death.
Tony Chamberlain says he is a different parent and watches his children like a hawk. He misses Madison's beautiful soul. Photo / Supplied.
“We are unable to work and are barely functioning- the impact of Madi dying goes on. Jesse is on bail and out partying with his friends and will get to spend Christmas with his family.” Madi’s boyfriend Ben said; ‘If I had just said to her, don’t hop on, she wouldn’t have.’
“I have turned into a different parent. I watch my kids like a hawk. I’m always thinking, “What are they doing, are they safe, who are they with, are they driving? I live with anxiety all the time.
“We feel robbed, we miss Madi coming in the door, her beautiful soul. That’s why we surround ourselves with photos of Madi, so we don’t forget her.”
Carolyne Meng-Yee is an Auckland-based investigative journalist who won Best Documentary at the Voyager Media Awards in 2022. She worked for the Herald on Sunday from 2007-2011 and rejoined the Herald in 2016 after working as an award-winning current affairs producer at TVNZ’s 60 Minutes, 20/20 and Sunday.
