NZ teen's dream ends in tragedy

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Jess Hosking. Photo / Supplied

A Kiwi teenager only weeks into her dream OE was found dead in her bed while on holiday in Paris with the family she was nannying for.

West Auckland surf lifesaver Jess Hosking, 19, died 14 days after moving in with a Luxembourg couple to care for their two sons.

She had accompanied the children to their grandparents' home in Paris for their school holidays.

She went to bed as usual last Thursday night and never woke up.

"Apparently she looked extremely peaceful," said her mother, Sandra Hosking, of Swanson.

"We are awaiting the report from the autopsy. But it doesn't matter what they say or why she died. The outcome won't change, it won't bring her back."

Mrs Hosking said her daughter lived life to the fullest.

"She loved life, she enjoyed it. Anything can be achieved if you believe - that was her motto."

Miss Hosking was a surf lifesaver and a member of the Piha Surf Life Saving Club.

She was also an accomplished water polo player and swimmer, and had been a member of the Waitakere Swimming Club since she was 15.

She had been studying for a degree in visual art and design but after 18 months decided it wasn't for her and went on her OE.

Her friend Sarah Jones was working as a nanny in Luxembourg.

"Jess was all about her friends. She figured that if she was going to do the nannying thing she might as well go to Luxembourg as well and be close to Sarah," said Sandra Hosking.

Miss Hosking left New Zealand in July and spent a week with her grandparents in the UK before flying to Luxembourg, where she took a nannying job for a week.

She then secured a year-long position with another family, caring for the two boys aged five and eight.

On her Facebook page she said nannying would be "exciting but scary" and a "tad worrying" as she had never changed a nappy.

She later reported her new home was "really nice".

"Struggling with the language barrier a bit, but been very entertaining to say the least ... seems that I had sour cream on muesli for breaky as I thought it was yoghurt, the sad thing is I didn't even notice till one of the little boys asked why I was having pasta stuff on cereal," she wrote.

Mrs Hosking said her daughter missed home, and her friends, but was enjoying Europe.

Her daughter's body would be brought home as soon as it was released by French authorities.

"We're not having a funeral, we're calling it a celebration of her life."