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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
Jessica Belzycki

Friends organise tribute for boy, 13, killed in alleged stolen car crash

The friends of a 13-year-old boy who died in a car crash earlier this week have remembered him in a makeshift tribute.

A group of teenagers gathered to leave flowers and favourite items of the teen next to the scene of the crash on Willow Road, Gateshead.

The young boy died after an allegedly stolen Toyota Kluger crashed into a paddock in the early hours of August 3.

At the scene, police found an injured 14-year-old boy who was also in the car, and officers believe there were two more people in the car at the time of the crash.

A friend who had known the 13-year-old boy for four years said he set up the memorial with flowers and balloons.

"He meant a lot to me and I know he meant a lot to his friends and family, and so I wanted to do something nice for him as a way to remember him," he said.

The friend said the teenager always loved to ride his motorbike, and was all about having fun.

"Every single time he'd walk into the room he would just light the whole room up," he said.

"I'm just lost for words."

Malacai Austin, a family friend of the teenager, came down to the tribute to pay his respects and leave flowers and a picture of him.

"I am heartbroken," Mr Austin said.

"It is a hard situation at the moment, but he was a very joyful kid, he was a very loving kid," he said.

The memorial is beautiful, it's sad for everyone because this is where it happened."

A spokesperson for the Department of Education confirmed that the boy's school had contacted the community and informed them of support available at the school.

The department expressed their sympathies to the family and the community.

Emergency services were called to Willow Road around 3am on Monday to reports of a single-vehicle crash.

The 13-year-old boy was treated by emergency services, but died at the scene.

A 14-year-old boy was taken to John Hunter Hospital with leg injuries under police guard, while another 14-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man were also later taken to the hospital under police guard.

Initial police inquiries found that the vehicle was allegedly stolen from the Swansea area between 10pm on Sunday, August 2, and 3am on Monday, August 3.

A spokesperson for NSW Police said inquiries were ongoing.

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