Doctors have delivered a baby after its heavily pregnant mother was killed in a crash with an SUV that was allegedly stolen and speeding when it slammed into their car.
The woman's two-year-old boy was also in the car but survived the crash and is being treated in Royal Hobart Hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
Police say the stolen SUV carrying two boys and two girls aged between 12 and 15 appeared to have run a red light when it hit the mother's sedan, killing her.
The 24-year-old woman, who was 32 weeks pregnant, was driving home after dropping her partner off at work at a bakery when her car was hit at an intersection in central Hobart at 1am on Friday.
The baby was later delivered at the hospital.
The SUV came to rest on a footpath on the opposite side of the road after hitting a nearby building and bursting into flames.
Police arrested a 15-year-old boy in suburban Hobart six hours later.
The teenager is alleged to be the driver and was remanded in custody after facing a youth justice court on Friday charged with manslaughter and stealing a car.
He didn't apply for bail and will appear in court again on February 2.
Police have laid charges against the three other passengers of the SUV, who along with the alleged driver suffered minor injuries and went to hospital.
Police commander Glenn Frame described the crash as a tragedy for everyone involved but an avoidable one.
He said police will ensure the dead woman's partner and father of their children receives appropriate support and care.
"Our deepest sympathies and condolences go out to the family and the friends of the deceased," he said.
Mr Frame said officers tried to intercept the speeding SUV twice before the crash, after seeing it driving fast with its lights off.
But they did not pursue it as per police policy.
"When you have young, inexperienced drivers in stolen vehicles driving like idiots that puts the public at risk," he told reporters.
"The last thing we want is police vehicles pursuing those vehicles and putting the public at risk.
"It's not joy-riding. It's not a bit of fun, it puts lives at risk ... it's something I think we're a bit complacent about as a community."
