Hamilton ‘hard-working mum’ and two children victims of Desert Road triple-fatal

Wednesday, 3 June 2026

The mother of a Hamilton family killed in a triple-fatal crash on the Desert Road on Monday is being remembered as a hard worker “trying to make a life here in New Zealand with her family and her little kids.”

Leidy and two of her children -James, 8, and a seven-month-old - died in the crash, while eleven-year-old Sully survived, according to a Givealittle page.

Leidy had links with the Hamilton Colombian Community Trust, which helps Colombian refugees and families get accustomed to the city and keep their cultural values.

Carolina Ortiz, a trust volunteer and administrator, told the Waikato Times, the news was shocking and the community pitched in to help.

“We spread the news between each other and everyone that we know so we can find out how we can help.”

Ortiz said every Colombian in Hamilton has donated to the Givealittle page, with support coming as far as the South Island.

“It’s just a matter of knowing that she’s Colombian. Even though we don’t know her, we just try to give a little bit of help.”

Leidy often attended Colombian and Latin American events and met Ortiz’s parents while they were learning English. Leidy was a teacher’s assistant.

Ortiz said her parents were fond of Leidy, describing her as a “responsible, hard working lady”.

“Someone who was just working and trying to make her life here in New Zealand with her family and her little kids.”

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A post on the Parranda Latina Facebook page, in Spanish, described the deaths as news that “just breaks your heart”.

Parranda Latina is a group of Colombians who live in New Zealand, where they provide music through Latin events and concerts and “make them feel at home”, according to the group’s Eventbrite page.

The post said Leidy was a special person.

“From the start she supported us with her happiness, smile, energy and confidence when this project was in its first stages. She was always there, doing her part and believing in us.”

Over time, Leidy started a family and her responsibilities changed, but “her support and loyalty never stopped”.

“We’ll always remember this woman who was kind and full of life, and who was with us in so many important moments.”

Parranda Latina said there are no words to “describe the pain that we feel”.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the family and loved ones in this difficult moment.”

On the family Givealitte page, creator Crystal Pepperell wrote:

'At this stage, Leidy and James are currently in Palmerston North, waiting to be released to us so we can bring them home to Hamilton,' page creator Crystal Pepperell wrote.

Pepperell said the baby was “uplifted by his father”.

“As much as we would love to keep them altogether it’s out of our control.”

She set up the page on behalf of her brother in-law (James and Sully’s dad) and her sister Kyra (step mum) to help cover funeral costs, relieve financial pressure and support Sully on her 'long road to recovery from this tragic accident'.

The page said Leidy had another daughter, Marcela, who was not involved in the crash but would 'also need support after losing her mum and siblings'.

The crash happened on State Highway 1 between Shawcroft Rd and Access Rd No. 17 about 2.55am Monday.

As well as the three deaths, two other people suffered serious injuries.

A search-and-rescue operation was launched after reports of a sixth person believed to have been in one of the vehicles.

However, police later found the man and confirmed he was not in either vehicle at the time of the crash.

The crash brought the King's Birthday holiday road toll to seven, including five deaths in what road policing director Superintendent Steve Greally described as a 'horror night on the roads'.

One person died in a crash in Wairakei, near Taupō, after a car hit a tree on Sunday night.

Another person died following a two-car crash on Te Heuheu St in central Taupō on Friday night.

The section of Desert Road where Monday's crash occurred near Waiouru is the same stretch where three people were killed on April 27 when a car and a tanker collided.