A dead child, a methed-out driver, and $10,000 in Givealittle money
Yesterday, I wrote about how Givealittle has devolved into what might as well be called Griftalittle, a platform where accountability takes a back seat to emotional storytelling. Today, the story gets worse.
Sangita Prasad, a 47-year-old mother from Dunedin, is accused of being high on methamphetamine when she caused the crash that killed her seven-year-old son, O’Siah Prasad, on March 23. And yet, friends and family have managed to raise over $10,000 in public donations since the incident.
Prasad appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday. She said nothing. A registrar entered a not guilty plea on her behalf to the charge of careless driving causing death while under the influence of drink or drugs. Her lawyer claimed that “further investigations” are underway. Let’s not pretend this is some murky case still shrouded in mystery. A child is dead. His mother, allegedly on meth, was behind the wheel. The facts are ugly and plain.
According to reports, Prasad’s vehicle left the road, crashed through a fence and landed in a ditch in the Owaka Valley. Her son died. She survived. And then, astonishingly, the online grief campaign began a couple of days later.
While silent in court, Prasad was anything but quiet online. On Facebook, she shared emotional posts, including one that read, “It should have been me who left this world, not my precious son.” In another, she preached about learning from tragedy and improving safety measures. As if this were a case of unfortunate road conditions and not a fatal result of alleged meth use.
She later scolded “judgemental people” for lacking compassion. “I lost my son, and it hurts every day,” she wrote, “but I remain strong, and I wish all the judgemental people out there well.” This from a woman accused of smoking meth and then getting behind the wheel with her child in the car.
A Givealittle page appeared days after the boys death. In just a few weeks, it raised $10,387. The post asked for help supporting “O’Siah’s family.” A fundraiser that directly channels money to the very person accused of causing the child’s death.
O’Siah was described as a bright, adventurous little boy who brought joy to those around him. His loss was painted as a heart-wrenching tragedy, and of course it is. What the campaign does not include is accountability. It does not include context. It does not mention meth.
As of now, Prasad remains out on bail. She is required to live at a Fairfield address. She is banned from driving and from possessing illicit drugs. All of this is too little, too late.
She will appear again in court in August. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison or a fine of $10,000. That is the same amount raised through Givealittle.
In New Zealand right now, you can kill your child while allegedly high on meth, avoid a public statement in court, and still walk away with ten grand in donation money. Meanwhile, the child lies in a grave.
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For my paid subs: Since publishing the first piece yesterday, I’ve been contacted by two separate individuals who shared further information about the mother involved in this case, Sangita Prasad.