KEY POINTS:
A Christchurch youth marked his 17th birthday today with a court appearance on a charge of manslaughter of a 16-year-old girl.
His arrest followed a crash at the end of a short police pursuit on Thursday night.
He will spend the rest of Easter in the police cells because the Department of Social Welfare does not have a bed available in a secure facility.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Mark Berryman said police opposed bail, and duty youth advocate Leuatea Iosefa said he was "not in a position to deal with that issue today".
He said the unemployed youth from suburban Mairehau accepted his situation, with the remand to Tuesday when he will make a further appearance in Christchurch Youth Court and the custody remand will be reconsidered.
The youth faced a total of seven charges including the manslaughter of the girl named on the court sheet as Paige Patricia Timothy.
The others included causing injury to a second girl by reckless driving, driving with excess alcohol, failing to stop for a police car, theft of a $3500 car and burglary.
Police allege the car drove through a give-way sign at the end of Styx Mill Road, ran into a tree, and ploughed about 30m through the undergrowth into the stream below the road.
He then ran from the scene and was tracked by a police dog and found in nearby farmland.
Ms Timothy died in Christchurch Hospital last night and the other girl is reported to be in a serious condition.
As he was led back to the court house cells, a family member called, "See you later" from the public seats.
- NZPA
