A 27-year-old New Zealand woman, Monique Marie Jennifer Lay, died Thursday night in Manurewa, Auckland, after the stolen car she was driving collided head-on with another vehicle during a police pursuit. The incident followed an alleged aggravated robbery and carjacking.
Police reported being called to an aggravated robbery in Greenmeadows Avenue, Manurewa, shortly after 9:30 p.m. Witnesses claim Lay had been drinking with friends before allegedly attacking a woman with a crowbar and stealing her car. A few minutes later, officers observed the stolen hatchback driving without headlights and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The vehicle failed to stop and sped off, subsequently crashing head-on with a utility vehicle traveling in the opposite direction.
The Maranga Fanau Charitable Trust, an organization that had been assisting Lay in the year prior to her death, described her as a "lost child" who had a history of state care and previous jail time. The trust stated that Lay had been working to regain custody of her two young sons, the youngest being 18 months old, and was reportedly making progress.
"She was trying, she was doing extremely well," Phyllis Latu of the trust told Stuff. "She was one of the most giving people that I've ever met. She helped many of our clients, (tried) to get them on track, but she lost her way."
Friends shared tributes on social media, with some suggesting the system had failed her and vowing to ensure her story is known, calling for a societal change to prevent similar tragedies.
Family members announced a public notice inviting those who knew Lay to celebrate her life and share memories. A critical incident investigation into the fatal crash is ongoing.
Manukau District Commander, Superintendent Shanan Gray, extended condolences to Lay's loved ones and stated that police are working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the events of that evening.