Waiouru crash victims were a mother and two young children

Wednesday, 3 June 2026

A mother and two of her young children, including a 7-month-old, died in a crash on the Desert Road over King's Birthday weekend.

The mother was named as Leidy from Hamilton, and she died alongside her 8-year-old and 7-month-old sons, while her 11-year-old daughter is the sole survivor.

Emergency services launched a search for an unaccounted person after the crash, but police later confirmed the man was located elsewhere.

The crash was part of what police described as a 'horror night' on New Zealand roads, and an investigation into the circumstances remains ongoing.

The three victims of the King’s Birthday weekend crash on the Desert Road were a mother and two of her young children, one aged just seven months old.

Another of her children is understood to be in intensive care.

The mother was a prominent member of the Colombian ex-pat community in New Zealand and the community is rallying around the family, Stuff understands.

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Family shared details in an online fundraiser, saying the Hamilton woman, named as Leidy, died alongside her 8-year-old and 7-month-old sons, with her 11-year-old daughter the sole survivor.

Other members of the Colombian community have been sharing tributes online.

“The tragic departure of our friend Leidy and her young children leaves us with immense pain that is difficult to put into words. As Colombian migrants in New Zealand, we often live busy working, fighting for our families and pursuing our dreams, and sometimes we forget how important it is to stay together as a community,” one man wrote.

“This tragedy leaves me with a deep reflection: despite the differences, distances, and challenges we face in a foreign country, we still have the opportunity to support, accompany and build together.

“Rest in peace. Your memory will live forever in our hearts.”

‘Horror night’

Police initially believed another person was in a vehicle involved in the crash but later confirmed they were elsewhere at the time.

A search was launched on Monday amid the wild tussock country of the central North Island the to find the man after the deadly crash, an unusual twist to the worst single incident in a “horror” King’s Birthday weekend on our roads.

“Directly after the crash, police believed one person was possibly unaccounted for,” a police spokesperson said.

“A search and rescue operation was launched in the event that they were nearby and potentially injured.

“Police separately were making follow-up enquiries to establish if they were, in fact, elsewhere at the time of the crash - which ended up being the case.”

Police confirmed on Monday afternoon that the man had been located and that officers were speaking with him.

When Stuff visited the crash site on Tuesday, remnants of the wreckage remained scattered along the roadside, including a Mazda grille and part of a car stereo system.

Ruapehu District Council Mayor Weston Kirton said he was “deeply saddened by the loss of life from this tragedy in our district” and offered his condolences to the families affected.

“The road itself is remote and sometimes tricky in winter conditions,” he said.

The crash prompted a major emergency response involving police, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Hato Hone St John and New Zealand Defence Force emergency responders from nearby Waiouru Military Camp.

Hato Hone St John said one patient was airlifted to Palmerston North Hospital in a serious condition and another was transported to Whanganui Hospital, also in a serious condition.

The investigation into what happened remains ongoing.

The crash was one of several fatal crashes attended by emergency services over the King’s Birthday weekend.

Police described it as part of a “horror night” on New Zealand roads.

“One person died in a crash in Wairakei, one on Waiheke, and tragically, three people were killed in a crash in Waiouru,” Superintendent Steve Greally said on Monday.

“That is absolutely gutting.”

The Desert Road crash was the second fatal crash in the wider Waiouru area in little more than a month. On April 27, three people died after a car crossed the centre line and collided with a tanker truck on State Highway 1 near Waiouru.

Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of Monday’s crash.