Family find it tough to accept teens gone
Reminders of the crash that killed teenagers Nathan Quist and Ella Berrington on Friday morning in Pakuranga are still at the scene days later.
Crumbled pieces of brick and damage to walls, support beams and broken plumbing highlight the damage caused in the carport.
Tyre marks, torn-up grass and broken branches of a hedge beside Pakuranga Rd show where the car lost control, ending up split into four pieces in the carport.
Police now say the car, a darkcoloured Honda Accord, was reported stolen following the crash about 4.30am on Friday.
Flowers have been placed around the carport and mourning friends and family gathered there yesterday, playing music for Nathan, 17, and Ella, 13.
About 20 teenagers and young adults were present, hugging each other and leaving heartfelt messages on the walls around the crash site.
“Fly high beautiful” someone wrote. “Party hard in the sky baby g” another griever wrote.
A Berrington family member told the yesterday the family was “hurting so deeply right now”.
“It doesn’t feel real to us right now. It’s hard to piece it all together and accept that this is actually happening.
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Can you help?
Anyone who saw a dark-coloured Honda Accord near Pakuranga Rd around 4.30am should contact Constable Gabrielle Griffiths on 021 192 1542 or Sergeant Ben Thornton on 021 191 0737.
“I sit next to my phone just waiting for the call from her to say that she’s okay and she needs to be picked up.
“Our family needs time and space to grieve and pull everything together to have the best send off for Ella.
“I only hope that the family of the other kid and all of their friends are dealing with this responsibly and the best way possible.
“Its going to be tough and there are no words that could help make this situation any easier.”
Senior Sergeant Jono Chappell said police believed the crash took place about 4.30am on Friday, but the wreckage wasn’t discovered until about 7.30am that day.
“Early indications suggest that speed appears to be a factor in this crash, however this will form part of the investigation by our Serious Crash Unit.”
He confirmed the vehicle had been reported as stolen and said police wanted to hear from “anyone who witnessed a vehicle matching this description driving near Pakuranga Rd around 4.30am on Friday”.
Ella was a student at Pakuranga College and Nathan went to Tamaki College.
Pakuranga College principal Mike Williams said he had spoken to Ella’s family: “We’re doing what we can to provide support. Our priority at this time is looking after family and friends.”