NZ leads the world.....in baby violence and murder

[Donald]

...."systematically beaten to death"..
..yes....we don't even need guns...


Experts testify at inquest into death of Moko Rangitoheriri

Moko Rangitoheriri was tortured and killed by Tania Shailer and David Haerewa.

The sort of child abuse that killed Moko Rangitoheriri is a sign of a dark side to New Zealand society, says the Children's Commissioner.

Former Principal Youth Court Judge Andrew Becroft made the comments at the inquest into the Taupo toddler's 2015 death at the Rotorua District Court on Tuesday.

The resumption of the inquest also revealed that there had been 94 child homicides between 2007-2015 in New Zealand.


Moko was three when he was systematically beaten to death in a manner described as more brutal than the Nia Glassie case.

His killers, David Haerewa and Tania Shailer, have both been sentenced to 17 years' imprisonment.

"All roads lead back to socio-disadvantage ... these are the families without the resilience to cope," Becroft said.

"The responsibility for [Moko's death] lies with the adults who have been convicted and it's important we don't shift the primary blame from those two people.

"But government agencies either missed or misinterpreted the red-flags

"There were sufficient eyes and ears - yet the eyes did not see and the ears did not hear."

Becroft said Moko's death was preventable.

Moko and his sister were staying with Shailer and Haerewa while their mother, Nicola Dally-Paki, was caring for another one of her children in Starship Hospital.

"It seems fair to say that if Oranga Tamariki and/or Starship Hospital had taken a different and more proactive approach to the issue of finding safe care for Moko and his sister in Auckland, the situation for Moko could have been different."

"An important part of training is to ensure collaboration between organisations working with children in risky environments."

Midwives may be the key to identifying children at risk of abuse, the coroner was also told.

On Tuesday, paediatrician, Dr Johan Morreau, found himself in the same position as he was seven years' prior after Nia's death: giving evidence at the inquest into the violent death of a young child at the hands of their carers.

The paediatrician presented three reports, two of which he also represented at Nia's inquest.

Both reports had been underused, Morreau said.

One report, The Best Start in Life 2010, has the potential to reduce child abuse and to reduce youth suicide. Another report, from the 2009 experts' forum on child abuse, encourages government agencies to share information and work together.

Morreau said the only health professional that every mother meets is a midwife, and that contact could be crucial in identifying a family "needing to be valued".

He said there should be a combined approach between Oranga Tamariki (Ministry for Vulnerable Children) and health departments, so women can be linked with a midwife as early as possible.

This contact in the early stages is the best opportunity for the health and welfare sectors to engage with and then support a family for as long as it takes, Morreau said.

He said the first 1000 days of a child's life is critical in determining the long term wellbeing of a child and that's where midwives come in.

"We've done a lot of the thinking but we haven't been committed to the resource.

"We have to invest in the early childhood period."

Coroner Wallace Bain said when he had children, Plunket nurses often visited children and families.

Plunket now only visit around 92 per cent of families with children.

Earlier in the day, Detective Inspector Mark Loper said police have made several changes to the way they manage and investigate child abuse in recent years.

He too gave evidence at the Nia Glassie inquest and was in charge of that case.

"According to our records there have been 94 child homicides involving children aged between 0 -14 years, in New Zealand from 2007-2015," Loper said.

Loper had himself handled eight child homicides.

"Since the Nia Glassie investigation New Zealand Police has conducted a number of reviews into the management and investigation of child abuse.

"This has resulted in significant changes being made to our processes and procedures for the management and investigation of reports of child abuse."

Coroner Bain has reserved his decision.
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