An under the influence Mercedes-Benz driving teenager has been spared jail after a horror hit-and-run tragically ended the life of a 15-year-old air force cadet.
Rouxle Le Roux, 19, was a learner driver at the time her car ploughed into a young cyclist, Nathan Kraatskow, 15, on Oteha Valley Road in Auckland’s north-shore on May 18.
The 19-year-old student at Mahurangi Technical Institute, had been drinking wine and smoking cannabis on the night of the fatality.
While on bail, she shared a Halloween selfie with her 1.72k Instagram followers in a prison jumpsuit with the caption ‘hide your children’.
Rouxle Le Roux, 19, was a learner driver when she caused the death of cyclist Nathan Kraatskow (pictured), 15, on Auckland’s North Shore’s Oteha Valley Road on May 18
The 19-year-old student at Mahurangi Technical Institute, had been drinking wine and smoking cannabis on the night of the fatality and shared a Halloween selfie with her 1.72k Instagram followers in a prison jumpsuit with the caption ‘hide your children’
In the Auckland District Court on Friday, Judge Nicola Mathers said there was ‘no purpose’ to sentence the teen to time behind bars and instead Le Roux will serve 11 months of home detention and 250 hours of community work.
Ms Le Roux had no previous convictions and has been disqualified from driving for two years and six months.
The level of alcohol and narcotics at the time of the incident will never be known as Le Roux did not report to police until 16 hours after the crash.
Alcohol and cannabis levels in Le Roux’s bloodstream could not be determined when she handed herself in to Police the following day.
An early guilty plea was entered by the South African teen but there was no sign of forgiveness from the father of the deceased, Orion Kraatskow.
Mr Kraatskow said to the teenager in court ‘I don’t want to hear you say ‘sorry’ because I don’t believe it,’ Stuff New Zealand reported.
In the Auckland District Court on Friday, Judge Nicola Mathers said there was ‘no purpose’ to sentence the teen to time behind bars and instead Le Roux will serve 11 months of home detention and 250 hours of community work
Ms Le Roux had no previous convictions and has been disqualified from driving for two years and six months
The Kraatskow family told of how they originally felt sorry for the girl but their minds changed when they were inundated with social media posts involving alcohol and partying while Le Roux was out on bail.
Charlene Kraatskow, Nathan’s mother, said: ‘I just could not understand how someone could be so heartless and think this whole thing was a joke?’
Robin McCoubrey, the Crown prosecutor said the Halloween photo sat uneasy with claims of remorse and sorrow.
Belinda Sellars QC, the defendant’s lawyer, accepted on behalf of Le Roux the post to Instagram was ‘ill-thought out’.
It was also made known to the court the teenager had required hospitalisation for mental health since the crash.
Despite Le Roux’s name at the time being suppressed, she was a victim of online bullying after someone had contacted her classmates and notified them of the incident.
The online bullying saga has continued.
Le Roux’s sentencing date had been postponed to allow her to graduate from her studies with her friends.
However, Ms Kraatskow has made it known her son will not be able to graduate from the Vanguard Military School.
Despite Le Roux’s name at the time being suppressed, she was a victim of online bullying after someone had contacted her classmates and notified them of the incident
Nathan Kraatskow is being remembered as a caring and loving man who aspired to be in the Royal New Zealand Air Force from when he was five-years-old.
His funeral, at Schnapper Rock on Saturday 26 May, had more than 500 people in attendance.
‘My heart is absolutely broken, I don’t think it will ever get better, I think we will just learn to live without him’, Kraatskow’s mother said.
‘I will always miss my cheeky, caring boy and will always dream of the man he was growing up to be,’ the New Zealand Herald reported.
Le Roux’s sentencing date had been postponed to allow her to graduate from her studies with her friends