Watch: Family of 12-year-old girl who died after Palmerston North police pursuit address 'hateful comments' on social media

May 29, 2018

Meadow James' aunties say the comments are hurtful and people who don't know their family shouldn't judge.

Aunties of 12-year-old Meadow James who died after a Palmerston North police pursuit have addressed the "hateful comments" aimed at the family on social media.

Speaking to 1 NEWS today, Meadow's aunty Naomi James says the comments made by people on social media can be hurtful and that people who don't know their family shouldn't judge them.

"Everything is about social media these days and the comments people make. I was told not to read the comments, but I did and it's actually hurtful.

"I don't know why people judge us when they don't know Meadow and they don't know our family, comments like 'that's what they get' but that's not what they get, that's what we get," Naomi said fighting back tears.

Another of Meadow's aunties, Rebecca James, also said she is affected by people's comments online.

"The hateful comments I try not to read, but it still hurts for us as a family.

"We've experienced a lot of death, a brother and a sister in four or five years and we're very close as a family," Rebecca told 1 NEWS.

Rachel James broke down in tears while speaking with other members of her family about "sociable" Meadow James.

Rachel James, the mother of Meadow, couldn't hold back the tears when speaking to 1 NEWS about the incident today.

"I am still stunned, for me it's the second time around as I have already lost a child," Rachel said before breaking down.

"I left her in the morning the last I knew she was at her course then I come home from work and find out she's gone in this car.

"I play back what I could change, I could have done better, it happened and I can't change it," the heartbroken mother said choking up again.

A 12-year-old girl also died in the tragic Palmerston North crash yesterday.

Earlier today the grandparents of Ihaia McPhee-Maxwell, Dennis and Kat Maxwell also spoke to 1 NEWS and said they also weren't going to play the blame game when it came to the fatal police pursuit accident.

"That's their job, you can't blame the police, that's the problem - people have an opinion they jump on their keyboard and away they go without thinking of the consequences," Dennis said.

Details of the incident were released by police yesterday, who said at 1.30pm the 15-year-old driver of a vehicle wanted for breaching his bail conditions failed to stop for them on Monrad Street in Palmerston North.

After failing to stop they say the vehicle travelled onto Pioneer Highway before crashing into a power pole at the intersection of Pioneer Highway and Shirriffs Road.

The front seat passenger of the vehicle, who police say was a 12-year-old girl died at the scene, and the driver, a 15-year-old boy died later in hospital.

A second young woman was in the rear seat passenger in the vehicle and has serious injuries.
 

SHARE ME