Emma-Jane Kupa’s Family Seeks Justice with Petition for Longer Sentence for Her Killer

In a heart-wrenching display of grief and determination, the family of Emma-Jane Kupa, an 11-year-old girl who was killed by an intoxicated and angry driver, has launched a petition calling for a longer prison sentence for the accused, Terina Pineaha. The family believes the current sentence of four years and five months handed down by the High Court at Napier is far too lenient, and they are demanding justice for their daughter.

Emma-Jane was struck while riding her bike in Flaxmere, Hastings, on January 30, 2025. The incident, which occurred in a residential area, was witnessed by her 15-year-old sister, who was riding a scooter alongside her. Pineaha, a 34-year-old mother of five, had been drinking, using methamphetamine, and was driving at nearly double the speed limit on the wrong side of the road.

Pineaha had been enraged by the belief that her boyfriend was having an affair and had just left his house, where she had deliberately driven into another woman’s vehicle three times. Shortly before the fatal collision, she rear-ended a van at a roundabout and narrowly missed another car as she fled the scene.

The court was told that Pineaha had 29 previous convictions, most of which were for dishonesty. Her defense argued that her criminal history and personal circumstances, including a difficult childhood marked by exposure to alcohol, drugs, and violence, should be considered in sentencing. However, the family believes that these factors do not justify the leniency of the sentence.

Shannon Davis, Emma-Jane’s mother, described the sentence as “a slap in the face” and said that it sends a dangerous message that manslaughter is not a serious crime. “My daughter’s life was worth nothing,” she said.

Since the sentencing, the family has launched an online petition calling for “real justice for Emma-Jane” and an appeal for a longer sentence. The petition, which has already gathered nearly 2,000 signatures, urges the Crown Law Office to appeal the sentence in the Court of Appeal.

The family has also called on the community to support their cause and to demand that the sentence be increased to reflect the severity of the crime and to protect future children. “Please stand with us and demand the sentence be increased to better reflect the seriousness of the crime and protect future tamariki,” the petition reads.

The Crown prosecutor, Clayton Walker, had initially sought a starting point of seven to seven and a half years for Pineaha’s sentence. However, Justice Dale La Hood took into account Pineaha’s guilty plea, her criminal history, and her personal circumstances, resulting in a final sentence of four years and five months with no minimum non-parole period.

The family’s heartbreak is palpable, and their fight for justice has drawn widespread support from the community. Tributes have been left at the site of Emma-Jane’s death, and many are calling for an end to the cycle of violence and recklessness that led to her untimely death.

As the family continues their fight for a longer sentence, they remain steadfast in their belief that Emma-Jane’s life deserves more than a four-year sentence. “If she would at least have got six [years], we would have been able to, you know, move on,” Shannon Davis said. “Six years is a fair enough time, but four is just a kick in the face.”