Gumleaf
October 29th, 2009, 12:45 AM
By David Barrett and Clementine Cuneo
From: The Daily Telegraph October 29, 2009 12:00AM
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw-act/road-trip-ended-in-tragedy-for-runaway-kayla-green-and-her-mates/story-e6freuzi-1225792259693
IT was the decision to help a friend in need that would ultimately cost teenager Kayla Green her life and devastate an entire community.
Having obtained her learner permit just months ago, Kayla and three friends - Chevonne Wood, 17, Jasmin Seru, 17, and Maddison Gannon, 15 - piled into the car given to Kayla for her 16th birthday in May and began their long journey north.
The friends left their Riverina homes on Tuesday afternoon because one of the girls - who police insist was not Kayla - was having family issues and was heading to Queensland to visit other relatives.
Their ill-fated journey came to a sickening end 1000km and 12 hours later when Kayla is believed to have veered on to the wrong side of the Pacific Highway at Telegraph Point, near Port Macquarie, and collided head-on with a Ford Falcon sedan.
Former Griffith and Wade High student Kayla was killed instantly and her friends seriously injured.
For Kayla's devastated parents Rod and Adele and older brother John, footage of the mangled car on TV confirmed their worst fears.
Less than 12 hours earlier, Kayla had taken the keys and left without telling her parents.
"We are devastated," a heartbroken Mrs Green, 45, told The Daily Telegraph yesterday. "We feel just disbelief and shock. It's just so, so sad. We've got two children and they are our lives - we live for our children."
She said when she saw TV news footage of the wreck "instinct told me it was (Kayla)".
Mr Green said he and his wife contacted police when they realised their daughter had left home on Tuesday.
He said his daughter was not upset prior to leaving in the car with her friend and said there was no fight or argument.
He said Kayla had never just taken the keys to the car before.
"She was sitting on the front lawn when I last saw her. She was not upset," he said. "It's a one-off thing that has led to this tragedy. She was a good girl. She had a big heart."
It is believed the girls had shared the driving and the three passengers were asleep at the time of the crash.
"We are looking into fatigue . . . but it was also an inexperienced driver at the wheel, so that's another factor to look at," police said.
The impact ripped Kayla's car apart and sent the other vehicle, driven by a 40-year-old man, careering down an embankment. The man, on his way to work, was cut free from the vehicle and rushed to Port Macquarie Base Hospital where he remained in a serious condition.
Maddison was transferred to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital with critical injuries while Chevonne and Jasmin were in Port Macquarie Base Hospital in serious condition.
Kayla's last words before fatal crash
From: The Daily Telegraph October 29, 2009 10:50AM
"When Kayla took the car, she also took my wife's bank keycard," Kayla's father Rod Green told The Daily Telegraph today.
"She was clearing out the money until my wife put a stop to it."
Mr Green said when Kayla tried to use the keycard to pay for petrol near Newcastle, she realised the card had been cancelled by her mother.
He said his daughter then contacted home via a text message at about 3.30am on Wednesday.
"Kayla sent a text message saying: 'Thanks Mum, now I've got no money for petrol'," Mr Green said.
"That was when they were at Hexham or near there."
Kayla's mother, Adele Green, 45, then send a message saying: "Can you tell me where you are. I'll come and get you. I love you".
Mr Green said his daughter replied with a message saying: "Don't worry Mum. Goodnight".
Having obtained her learner permit just months ago, Kayla and three friends - Chevonne Wood, 17, Jasmin Seru, 17, and Maddison Gannon, 15 - piled into the car given to Kayla for her 16th birthday in May and began their long journey north.
The friends left their Riverina homes on Tuesday afternoon because one of the girls - who police insist was not Kayla - was having family issues and was heading to Queensland to visit other relatives.
Their ill-fated journey came to a sickening end 1000km and 12 hours later when Kayla is believed to have veered on to the wrong side of the Pacific Highway at Telegraph Point, near Port Macquarie, and collided head-on with a Ford Falcon sedan.
Former Griffith and Wade High student Kayla was killed instantly and her friends seriously injured.
From: The Daily Telegraph October 29, 2009 12:00AM
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw-act/road-trip-ended-in-tragedy-for-runaway-kayla-green-and-her-mates/story-e6freuzi-1225792259693
IT was the decision to help a friend in need that would ultimately cost teenager Kayla Green her life and devastate an entire community.
Having obtained her learner permit just months ago, Kayla and three friends - Chevonne Wood, 17, Jasmin Seru, 17, and Maddison Gannon, 15 - piled into the car given to Kayla for her 16th birthday in May and began their long journey north.
The friends left their Riverina homes on Tuesday afternoon because one of the girls - who police insist was not Kayla - was having family issues and was heading to Queensland to visit other relatives.
Their ill-fated journey came to a sickening end 1000km and 12 hours later when Kayla is believed to have veered on to the wrong side of the Pacific Highway at Telegraph Point, near Port Macquarie, and collided head-on with a Ford Falcon sedan.
Former Griffith and Wade High student Kayla was killed instantly and her friends seriously injured.
For Kayla's devastated parents Rod and Adele and older brother John, footage of the mangled car on TV confirmed their worst fears.
Less than 12 hours earlier, Kayla had taken the keys and left without telling her parents.
"We are devastated," a heartbroken Mrs Green, 45, told The Daily Telegraph yesterday. "We feel just disbelief and shock. It's just so, so sad. We've got two children and they are our lives - we live for our children."
She said when she saw TV news footage of the wreck "instinct told me it was (Kayla)".
Mr Green said he and his wife contacted police when they realised their daughter had left home on Tuesday.
He said his daughter was not upset prior to leaving in the car with her friend and said there was no fight or argument.
He said Kayla had never just taken the keys to the car before.
"She was sitting on the front lawn when I last saw her. She was not upset," he said. "It's a one-off thing that has led to this tragedy. She was a good girl. She had a big heart."
It is believed the girls had shared the driving and the three passengers were asleep at the time of the crash.
"We are looking into fatigue . . . but it was also an inexperienced driver at the wheel, so that's another factor to look at," police said.
The impact ripped Kayla's car apart and sent the other vehicle, driven by a 40-year-old man, careering down an embankment. The man, on his way to work, was cut free from the vehicle and rushed to Port Macquarie Base Hospital where he remained in a serious condition.
Maddison was transferred to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital with critical injuries while Chevonne and Jasmin were in Port Macquarie Base Hospital in serious condition.
Kayla's last words before fatal crash
From: The Daily Telegraph October 29, 2009 10:50AM
"When Kayla took the car, she also took my wife's bank keycard," Kayla's father Rod Green told The Daily Telegraph today.
"She was clearing out the money until my wife put a stop to it."
Mr Green said when Kayla tried to use the keycard to pay for petrol near Newcastle, she realised the card had been cancelled by her mother.
He said his daughter then contacted home via a text message at about 3.30am on Wednesday.
"Kayla sent a text message saying: 'Thanks Mum, now I've got no money for petrol'," Mr Green said.
"That was when they were at Hexham or near there."
Kayla's mother, Adele Green, 45, then send a message saying: "Can you tell me where you are. I'll come and get you. I love you".
Mr Green said his daughter replied with a message saying: "Don't worry Mum. Goodnight".
Having obtained her learner permit just months ago, Kayla and three friends - Chevonne Wood, 17, Jasmin Seru, 17, and Maddison Gannon, 15 - piled into the car given to Kayla for her 16th birthday in May and began their long journey north.
The friends left their Riverina homes on Tuesday afternoon because one of the girls - who police insist was not Kayla - was having family issues and was heading to Queensland to visit other relatives.
Their ill-fated journey came to a sickening end 1000km and 12 hours later when Kayla is believed to have veered on to the wrong side of the Pacific Highway at Telegraph Point, near Port Macquarie, and collided head-on with a Ford Falcon sedan.
Former Griffith and Wade High student Kayla was killed instantly and her friends seriously injured.