Fatality At Ruatoki Ford

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 60, 25 June 1948, Page 5

Fatality At Ruatoki Ford

CHILD SWEPT AWAY IN SWIFT RIVER Falling from a dray which overturned in the Whakatane river ford between Tauraua Pa and, her home at Waikerikeri, Ruatoki, on Tuesday evening Totahi Karehau, aged 3, daughter of Mr and Mrs Teki Karehau, was swept away by the strong current and drowned.

Mr Karehau, the child’s father, was driving the dray home to Waikerikeri from Tauraua shortly after 5 on Tuesday evening, with his wife and Totahi on the seat beside him and Mrs Tom Wiremu and three other children on the floor. Though not actually in full flood, the river was running strongly at the time, but the party had crossed safely at -the same ford on the way out in the morning. They had almost reached the bank to which they were "crossing when one wheel of the dray sank sharply, and the vehicle lurched over on its side to throw the whole party into the water. Mr Karehau brought three of the children ashore and, on checking up with the women, found that- To--tahi v/as missing. Her body was found a few. chains ■downstream. At the inquest at Jtuatoki yesterday the District Coroner, Mr C. S. .Armstrbng, found that the child’s death was due to accidental drowning. i