Unforgiving highway claims another life

Photo / NZ Herald

The parents of a 2-year-old boy who was revived at the scene of a car crash only to die three days later are still in hospital and struggling to cope with his death.

Samuel Tonkin stopped breathing after the car he was travelling in and another vehicle collided on State Highway 2 near Maramarua a week ago yesterday.

After one witness cut Samuel from the wreckage, an off-duty nurse resuscitated him and he was rushed to the Starship hospital by helicopter.

Samuel's parents, John Tonkin and Selina Tangosia, were too distraught yesterday to speak about his death. They are recovering in hospital from injuries and it is understood they had been transferred to the Starship to be close to their son.

In a death notice, they paid tribute to Samuel, saying he was adored by his older sister, Moana.

"A little boy full of life whose parents gave him as much love as any parents could."

They asked for donations to be made to the Starship and the Westpac rescue helicopter in lieu of flowers.

Relatives said Samuel was a lively, bubbly little boy who had left them with wonderful memories.

Samuel had relatives in the Solomon Islands and a message for his family was posted on a community-based website.

"Just to inform everyone that Selina and husband survived the accident. Unfortunately baby Samuel's injury was too much for him."

Police are still investigating the cause of the crash, in which a married couple were also injured.

Yesterday, a 46-year-old man was killed after his vehicle rolled on a rural road north of Napier.

The man, who police said was a local, died when he lost control of his car in Te Pohue.