One of the 10 participants in the Government’s “military-style” youth offender boot camp pilot has died “as a result of an accident”.
The person involved is understood to have died in a crash on State Highway 1 near Tīrau last Wednesday, the NZ Herald reports.
“We can sadly confirm that a participant in the military style academy pilot has passed away as a result of an accident,” Oranga Tamariki deputy chief executive for youth justice services and residential care, Tusha Penny, confirmed to 1News in a statement.
“Our thoughts are with this young man’s family at this tragic time, and we are offering them our condolences and support.
“As the circumstances of this accident are under investigation by NZ Police, we cannot comment on specific details.”
The boot camps have been piloted at an Oranga Tamariki facility in Palmerston North since the end of July.
Ten teens have been involved, aged between 15 and 17 at the time of their offending.
The military-style academies were part of the National’s law and order policy at last year’s election, pledged as a way to help “crack down on serious repeat youth offenders”.
‘Heartbroken’ – Children’s Minister
Children’s Minister Karen Chhour told 1News the death of a boot camp participant “has come as a great shock to me”.
“My heart goes out to this young person’s family, and I am heartbroken for them. This young man had just started to turn his life around, and from the stories I have heard, he was proud of what he was achieving,” she said in a statement this evening.
Chhour said she had attended the youth’s funeral on Tuesday “in a personal capacity to show my support for the family who were kind enough to include me in such a difficult time”.
“I cannot comment on the circumstances around this fatality because it is still subject to police investigation.”
She also confirmed another boot camp participant who had attended the funeral after being granted bail on compassionate grounds by the Youth Court “has not been located since”.
“This means he is breaking the conditions of his court order and both Oranga Tamariki and the Police are looking for him,” she said.
“A full review into the circumstances and events leading up to both incidents has already begun.”
