Community rallies around family

Financial support has flooded in for a Taranaki family who have lost two children in just eight months.

On Thursday business owner Matthew Harrison of Primo Wireless set up a Givealittle page for S’ean and Karen Warren whose daughter Emma Warren, 7, was killed as she cycled home from school this week.

Emma died after a collision with a truck near the intersection of Rata St and Miro St in Inglewood after school on Wednesday.

At 6pm on Friday more than $25,000 had been raised for the couple, who also lost their son Tyler Gilbert in a suspected suicide in the early hours of January 7 this year. Gilbert was Karen’s son and S’ean’s stepson.

Many of the more than 400 donors took the opportunity to offer their condolences.

‘‘My sincere sympathy to the family - I can’t imagine their pain,’’ one wrote.

‘‘I am so sorry for your loss, my love and thoughts go out to you,’’ another said.

‘‘So very sorry for you and your whanau. A terrible tragedy. All our thoughts to you all at this very sad time,’’ a third said.

Emma’s death has devastated the small Taranaki town and hundreds of people have offered sympathy via social media, while others laid flowers and cards of support at the intersection.

The Serious Crash Unit is investigating the cause of the crash and police are providing support to the family.

The Ministry of Education Traumatic Incident team is also providing guidance to staff, students and the wider community at Inglewood Primary School where Emma attended.

The school’s newsletter from September 21 shows Emma was ‘student of the week’ for her year group, which was awarded to her for ‘‘working hard to be a good friend to others, and showing persistence and success with her learning’’.

"My sincere sympathy to the family - I can't imagine their pain."

Givealittle donor