Girl’s death: Driver named
Mum tells court of flashbacks when she closes her eyes
The mother of a 5-year-old girl who died after being struck by an elderly driver outside her school said she saw the incident and has flashbacks whenever she closes her eyes.
“When I see a car I think of my daughter’s death,” she wrote in a victim-impact statement translated into English from Cantonese at the driver’s sentencing at Manukau District Court yesterday.
“I can never see my dear baby again. Mummy misses you so, so much.”
She recalled seeing her daughter dragged two to three metres by the car and having blood over her face.
She had to see the driver daily because he and his family lived across the road.
“I feel sick when I see their family every day,” her statement said.
The Bucklands Beach community was rocked by the death of Pigeon Mountain Primary School student Joanna Kong in March.
Yesterday, the driver, Cheng Chuang, 77, lost name suppression. He was sentenced to 120 hours’ community service and disqualified from driving for 12 months.
Chuang has agreed to pay Kong’s family $30,827.50 in reparations, $17,000 of which had been paid before he entered a guilty plea.
The man had to be helped to the dock where he stood listening to a Mandarin interpreter throughout.
Chuang’s and Kong’s families were known to each other because they lived in the same community, the court heard.
Kong was walking on a footpath adjacent to the school carpark in between her mother and father on the morning of March 23, the court heard.
Chuang tried to park a Mercedes-Benz in the visitor carpark just inside the gate. As he entered the parking space, his foot hit the accelerator and the car mounted the footpath, the court heard.
As the vehicle travelled along the footpath it struck the child, causing her to become trapped underneath as it stopped near the football field.
Kong was taken to hospital in critical condition and died from her injuries five days later.
“He tried to brake and his foot slipped off and hit the accelerator unfortunately by mistake,” lawyer David Wang said. “Mr Chuang takes full responsibility for his actions.”
Kong’s parents said Chuang had reduced mobility due to a spinal injury, and they could not understand why he was allowed to drive.
Chuang has not been involved in any other driving incidents.
Judge Richard Earwaker said there was a “deep sense of loss and grief” that was made all the more devastating because both parents were present throughout the “tragic accident”.
“Nothing I can do today is going to help that pain and grief you feel,” he said to Kong’s family.
Chuang would not drive again, Wang said. Chuang’s family had agreed to pay Kong’s family the $30,827.50 in reparation, the court heard.
He wanted to apologise to the family but bail conditions prevented that, Judge Earwaker said. An apology letter left in the letterbox of Kong’s parents was returned unopened.
Judge Earwaker said the payment was an example of Chuang’s remorse.