Mum’s burning tribute to sons
The mother of teenage brothers killed in a crash after they fled police in Christchurch in a stolen car has paid tribute to them by doing a burnout in their honour.
Juanita Hickey, also known as Jay Rose, said it was a fitting way to “celebrate a loss of loved ones” and was not concerned about people’s opinions of her actions.
Glen and Craig Mcallister died after the car hit police spikes, crashed into a tree and went up in flames on January 13.
Craig was 13 and Glen had turned 16 two days earlier. Brooklyn Taylor, 13, was also killed.
Last week the Herald revealed the brothers were the nephews of Glen Mcallister, a skinhead who went on a murder-suicide rampage in Cathedral Square in 1989.
The boys’ father, Craig Mcallister, is the brother of Glen.
He asked people not to judge the boys for their — or their father and uncle’s — actions. On Monday Hickey posted a video of her doing a burnout — when a driver keeps a vehicle stationary and spins its wheels causing the tyres to smoke from friction — on Facebook. “Mum did this for you two,” she wrote. “The average chicky don’t burnout like that haha bet u boys loved it.” She then posted a photo of tyre rubber left on the road in her wake. Yesterday she responded to reaction about the video. “Oh I’m such a terrible mum,” she wrote, posting emojis of a laughing face.
“There is no right or wrong in how we grieve or celebrate a loss of loved ones so all the judgmental people, walk in my shoes before you act perfect.
“I’m as solid as they come.” Hickey had earlier publicly lambasted her sons’ father for speaking to the Herald.
“Good one, way to paint a bad bad picture of my boys,” she posted.
“They weren’t criminals, they weren’t rotten apples. They were loving, caring, charming beautiful boys with hearts of gold.
“They loved their momma and took pride in trying to look after me.
“My boys were exceptional young men who in a split second made a poor decision.”
Craig Mcallister had earlier echoed Hickey’s comments about the teenagers being “good boys”.
He conceded they had been involved in police pursuits and had stolen cars but said they were “just boys doing what boys do”.
He claimed police were responsible for the death of his children.
Police are investigating the crash.