Ezekiel Vernon Samuel Baira pleads not guilty in the Townsville Magistrates Court to one count of fraud

The father of a boy killed in a car crash has pleaded not guilty to allegedly spending $2,700 of his son’s funeral fund.

• Eziekel Baira to defend fraud charges after son Lucias’ funeral GoFundMe
• Lesley-Lee Hill charged for spending dead son’s funeral money on cigarettes, pokies

THE father of a boy killed in a car crash has pleaded not guilty to allegedly spending $2,700 of his son’s funeral fund.

Eziekel Vernon Samuel Baira, 31, appeared in the Townsville Magistrates Court on Thursday where he has been charged with one count of fraud – dishonestly obtain property from others.

Police allege Baira inappropriately funds raised on a GoFundMe page to pay for his son’s funeral expenses.

Baira’s teenage son died on June 7 this year when the alleged stolen car he was travelling in clipped a roundabout, flipped and hit a traffic light.

The boy was among four teenagers killed.

The teen’s mother and Baira’s former partner, Lesley-Lee Hill has been accused of blowing $3656 of the $7000 raised by the online fundraiser on pokies, cigarettes and clothing.

Defence lawyer Margaret Crowther said Baira intended to purchase a tombstone for his son’s grave, but the money from the GoFundMe never reached Baira’s account.

Ms Crowther asked Magistrate Steven Mosch to adjourn the case to allow time to obtain a brief of evidence.

Mr Mosch adjourned the matter until January 28 next year.

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Originally published as Ezekiel Vernon Samuel Baira pleads not guilty in the Townsville Magistrates Court to one count of fraud