Child Abuse

[Lovelee]

A 28-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the murder of Auckland toddler Seini Unaloto Ikamanu.

Seini, also known as Jane, was injured at her parents' home in Beach Haven on Auckland's North Shore in March.

She was 2-years-old when she was rushed to Starship hospital in March, and died on December 6 last year.

She spent her third birthday in a coma.

The man appeared in Auckland High Court today accused of Seini's murder as well as separate charges of causing her injuries and grievous bodily harm and failing to provide the necessaries of life.

He was remanded on bail ahead of another court appearance in July.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10723390

[Lovelee]

A 2-year-old girl allegedly beaten to death by her mother had suffered trauma comparable to someone who had been in a road crash, a Whangarei jury has heard.

Dr Lance O'Sullivan told the High Court in Whangarei yesterday Jacqui Petersen-Davis was traumatised and unresponsive when she was rushed to the Kaitaia Hospital at about 4.15am on August 8, 2007.

Jacqui's mother, Norefjell Davis, is charged with her murder. Davis has blamed her ex-partner, Jade Petersen, for causing the injuries that led to her death.

Dr O'Sullivan, a Kaitaia GP who also works at the hospital, said urine tests suggested Jacqui had been traumatised from massive injuries to her head. In what he described as an unusual situation, lab staff had called and asked him whether the baby had been involved in a crash. He had replied, "No."

Jacqui's abdomen had started swelling and her blood pressure had begun to drop by the time she was brought to hospital. It was apparent she was bleeding internally, he said.

He did not rule out a serious infection such as meningitis after her condition started deteriorating and a medical team had airlifted her to Auckland's Starship Hospital after it was decided she needed to be seen by a paediatric surgeon.

Jeanine Nunn, a pediatrician at Starship hospital, said Davis' explanation that Jacqui had fallen off a swing at a park did not make sense.
Advertisement
Davis had told medical authorities and police Jacqui fell off a swing at a park in Kaitaia a day before she died.

Dr Nunn did not expect a child that had suffered head injuries to get up, walk and have dinner. Davis had claimed that after the fall, Jacqui had briefly cried and later had a normal dinner before going to bed.

Dr Nunn said she called the police after she came to the conclusion that someone may have injured the child. She said Jacqui had a lacerated liver, fractured ribs, a fractured pelvis and a fractured left shoulder.

http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/local/news/baby-fatally-injured-as-if-in-a-road-crash/3950940/

[Lovelee]

Police have launched an investigation into the death of a seven-month-old baby girl after finding adult medication in her stomach.

The Morrinsville girl died in March in what was initially believed to be a case of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

But concerns were raised when ESR toxicology results revealed traces of the adult medication in her system.

Detective Senior Sergeant Karl Thornton said the girl's 22-month-old sister was also treated in hospital last month after it was suspected she consumed medication.

"We're focussing on how the seven-month-old ingested the medication.

"We're trying to confirm if the older sister swallowed similar pills. At this stage we are keeping an open mind as to what might have happened."

The two girls were living with their mother and an older sibling at the time of the incidents.

Both the 22-month-old and the older sibling have been placed in the care of Child, Youth and Family for the course of the police investigation.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10724612

[Lovelee]

Police in Hawke's Bay have begun an investigation into how a 10-week-old baby sustained significant non-accidental injuries.

The boy was admitted to Hawke's Bay Regional Hospital early last month after being taken to a local GP by a family member.

Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Greig said the boy's family were from the Wellington area, and had only been living in Hawke's Bay for a short time before he was admitted to hospital.

The boy had significant injuries that he could not have received accidentally.

After being discharged from hospital, the boy was put in the care of Child Youth and Family, where he currently remains.

"It's unclear at this point where the child's injuries occurred and our investigation will be looking into how the child received the injuries and when.

"We are speaking with family members to try and ascertain as many details as possible," Mr Greig said.

Police are unable to specify what the child's injuries were as that is part of the ongoing investigation.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/4983898/Baby-received-significant-injuries-police

[Lovelee]

A couple have appeared in court facing a raft of child abuse charges, including that they assaulted a boy with a machete and strangled him.

The couple, who cannot be named, allegedly abused the boy, who is now 14, in Auckland between February 2006 and February this year, the Herald on Sunday reported.

The man, 34, is accused of strangling the boy and beating him with an electrical wire, a hose pipe, wooden stick, ruler, vacuum cleaner pipe and machete.

The woman, 32, allegedly assaulted him with a wire cord, plate, hose pipe, wooden stick, vacuum cleaner pipe and electrical wire.

They appeared in Manukau District Court on Monday and were remanded on bail to reappear on May 30.

The boy is now in Child, Youth and Family care.

Another couple are due back in court later this month for allegedly systematically abusing their nine-year-old daughter, who was found hiding in a cupboard in west Auckland last November.

She was starving, dehydrated and covered in countless injuries.

Her 31-year-old mother faces 33 child abuse and neglect-related charges.

They include assault on the girl with a machete and hammer; kicking her in the vaginal area while wearing work boots; tearing her toenail off and pouring salt on the bleeding toe; writing abusive comments on her body; immersing her in a hot bath in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering; denying her medical treatment and withholding food.

The child's 32-year-old father, who also has name suppression, has pleaded not guilty to three charges of assault.

She is now living with a foster family.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5006393/Couple-charged-with-child-abuse

[Lovelee]

A Bay of Plenty man has been arrested and charged with inflicting permanent and severe brain damage on a four-month-old baby.

Police said the baby boy was admitted to Starship Hospital in Auckland with near-fatal non-accidental injuries on April 29.

It was not clear at the time of the baby's admission whether he would survive.

Officers arrested a 38-year-old man in Auckland yesterday and charged him with inflicting grevious bodily harm and eight other charges including male assaults female and assault with intent to injure.

He briefly appeared in Manukau District Court this afternoon.

Area Commander for Eastern Bay of Plenty Inspector Sandra Venables said the baby was now off life support, but the extent of his brain damage was not yet clear.

"The nature of the baby's injuries were such that a police investigation was launched, and subsequently charges have been laid.

"These are very difficult and complex cases, that take a toll on everyone involved including the whänau of the child, those working in our partner agencies, medical staff and police."

No further details about the baby's injuries or how they were inflicted would be released while the case was before the courts, Ms Venables said.

She appealed to anyone who was experiencing family violence to speak to police to prevent another similar case.

"If you or someone you know needs help, please talk to Police, your doctor, a family member or friend, or anyone else that you trust. Please tell somebody what you know, and together, we may be able to prevent another sad case."

The baby was admitted to Starship just a day after six-month-old Ngaruawahia baby Serenity-Jay Scott-Dinnington died in the hospital's paediatric intensive care unit.

Her life support was switched off on April 28 after she failed to recover from non-accidental injuries inflicted in what police called a "very violent" attack.

A 10-week-old Hawkes Bay baby also suffered "significant" non-accidental injuries in early April.

The young boy was transferred to Hawke's Bay Regional Hospital after being taken to a local GP by a family member.

Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Greig said investigators would be speaking to the child's family, who had recently moved to Hawkes Bay from Wellington.

Child, Youth and Family received 124,921 child abuse complaints last year, compared to 50,488 notifications in 2005, Ministry of Social Development figures show.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10725183

[Lovelee]

Two Child, Youth and Family caregivers are facing more than 30 charges accusing them of subjecting boys in their foster care to years of abuse - including scrubbing their bodies and teeth with wire brushes.

It has also been alleged that four boys in the care of Andrew John Hemara, 53, and his wife, Jenny-Lee Hemara, 49, were chained together, made to sleep outside without blankets, and forced to run around a race track until they became sick.

The Wellsford couple and their 21-year-old daughter, Tamara Lee Hemara, are facing 38 charges of assaulting and wilfully ill-treating boys in their care.

The charges relate to four boys aged between 7 and 14, and span nearly seven years until last year.

At their home last night, Andrew Hemara said he planned to defend the charges. He declined to comment further and his wife did not come to the door.

CYF social workers made routine checks on the family, but the alleged abuse came to light only when one of the boys spoke up.

The Hemaras appeared in the North Shore District Court on May 20 and are on bail until their next appearance this month.

Andrew Hemara, a youth worker, is facing 17 charges of assault and five of wilful ill-treatment.

He allegedly ripped an earring from one boy's ear and forced his hand into a fire until it burned, and bent another boy's neck backwards over the metal pole of a bunk bed.

It is also alleged that he and his daughter forced two boys to run around a race track until they vomited.

Tamara Hemara is also charged with repeatedly punching and kicking a 14-year-old boy.

Jenny-Lee Hemara is facing 10 assault and three wilful ill-treatment charges.

She allegedly threw a metal stool at a 12-year-old boy and stabbed him in the hand with a pen.

The couple both face charges of scrubbing two boys' bodies and teeth with a wire brush, force-feeding them after shoving their faces into plates of food, chaining two boys together with a metal chain and making them sleep outside at night.

CYF northern regional director Grant Bennett refused to say how long the Hemaras had been caregivers or how many children had been in their care.

"For whatever reason, these young people were not able to disclose what was happening to them despite CYF having a regular presence in the home," he said.

"We have been working closely with the police since one of these young people made a disclosure to one of our social workers during a routine home visit.

"The minute the young person broke their silence and told our social worker, we took action."

Mr Bennett said the boys were immediately removed from the Hemaras' care and were settling in well with new caregivers.

The Hemaras' caregiver status had been revoked.

"It is immensely disappointing when people we have entrusted to care for vulnerable young people are accused of abusing them. We do not tolerate any type of physical abuse of anyone in our care and all our caregivers are fully aware of this."

Every CYF caregiver has a social worker allocated to support them, and each child in CYF care is also allocated a support person.

All caregivers must be reviewed within six months of being approved, and every 12 months after that.

Update checks are made on caregivers at least every two years. They include police and medical checks.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett said she knew of the case.

She said a hard-line approach was taken against anyone who abused children.

"I expect any caregivers found to have abused or neglected children in their care to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law," the minister said last night.

Grant Bennett said he did not want people to think badly of other CYF caregivers because of the charges against the Hemaras.

"I would urge the public not to let their [alleged] actions cast a shadow on the remarkable efforts made every day by several thousand other caregivers who work very hard to support some of our most vulnerable young people."

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10729606

[Lovelee]

A man and woman have been charged over the death of a baby whose body was exhumed from a makeshift grave in the back yard of a south Auckland house.

Police went to the house in Otahuhu yesterday and found the grave of the baby after they were tipped off by "someone who had some first-hand knowledge of where it was buried," Detective Inspector Dave Lynch from the Counties Manukau police told NZPA

"We believe the baby died about a week ago."

Mr Lynch said the baby was thought to be "around the newborn age."

A 22-year-old woman had been charged with assaulting the child and a 29-year-old man with concealing the body.

Both were due to appear in Manukau District Court today.

Mr Lynch said the post mortem on the baby's body would probably be done later today and until then police did not know the cause of death.

He said about 20 police and forensic staff were working on the case and the house where the grave was found had been cordoned off.

"There is a forensic team at the scene at the moment."

Mr Lynch said no one else was being sought.

The coroner has been notified.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10729949

Im guessing we will see more of this .. maybe they are trying to escape charges and the wrath of the public.

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

[Lovelee]

A west Auckland couple accused of brutally assaulting their nine-year-old daughter have had dates set for a three-week trial at the High Court in Auckland next year.

But lawyer for the mother, Lorraine Smith, says it is likely the defence and Crown will be able to resolve the case without it coming to trial.

The couple, who have interim name suppression, are accused of multiple assaults on their nine-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son throughout last year.

Their daughter was discovered hiding in a cupboard last December by police.

She allegedly had horrific injuries, including her scalp being torn from her head from being dragged along a hallway by her hair.

The parents appeared in Auckland District Court this morning.

Smith told the court she and the Crown had been constantly in touch to try to resolve the case.

She said she was waiting on a reply to an email she had written to the Crown prosecutor containing suggestions for a resolution of the charges against her client.

The Crown lawyer told the court resolution of the case is likely, but asked to secure a date for a trial in case it was to go ahead.

She said one of the accused had admitted several of the charges in police interviews, but had indicated they were not prepared to plead either guilty or innocent to those charges at this stage.

Smith said a trial for the case would likely take three weeks, given the amount of expert testimony she expected would be involved.

A High Court trial was scheduled to start on May 2 next year, and the case will be brought before the District Court again on August 30 this year to determine whether the trial would go ahead.

Judge Anne Kiernan acknowledged the case had been moving slowly through the court system with callovers having been set since April this year.

Smith also asked for a variation of bail terms for the mother, but asked that they not be read out in open court.

The judge began to address the issue of whether name suppression should continue for the accused couple, but Smith pointed out it was in place to protect the child rather than the couple themselves.

Judge Kiernan continued the suppression until the couple's next court appearance in August.

The daughter in the case was returned to her parents' care in early 2009 after being looked after by a Child Youth and Family caregiver from when she was a baby until she was about seven years old.

It is alleged she was given back to her parents after being sexually abused while in CYF care.

Police allege that after she was returned, her mother once punched her in the face so hard she fractured bones in both of her hands.

A witness said after that incident the daughter's face was green and swollen.

The mother is accused of hitting her daughter's feet with a hammer and fracturing her toe.

Police allege the mother then ripped the nine-year-old's toenail off and poured salt and boiling water on the wound.

The case prompted Minister of Social Development Paula Bennett to order a report on CYF involvement with the family.

She has since obtained the results of the report, but has said she cannot release its details because the case is currently before the courts.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5235717/Trial-set-for-couple-accused-of-abuse

Almost looks like the lawyer is suggesting what sentence should be given and the judge is accepting it

[ssweetpea]

I came across this and thought if was worth sharing even if some of it does seem to be stating the obvious.

Risk Factors of Child Abuse

There are many factors that increase the risk to children and make them more vulnerable to abuse. These factors can be significant in alerting a bystander or family member to offer support to a family, to keep a caring eye out, to help prevent the risk factors from turning into child abuse.

* Parent has already abused a child

* Pregnancy was not wanted

* Parent has a background of abuse whe growing up

* Young, unsupported mother often with low education

* Parents have unrealistic expectations of the child and lack parenting knowledge

* Parent is isolated and has few supports


* Parent has a mental illness or is abusing drugs or alcohol

* Overcrwding in the house

* Poverty or lack of opportunity to improve the family's resources

* Family violence is present

* A non-biological adult living in the house

* Family is experiencing multiple stresses

* Baby is sickly, colicky or unwanted

* Child has physical or developmental disability

* Child is from an abusive relationship

* Lack of attachment between child and parent


source: Littlies/December 2011 www.littlies.co.nz

[Lovelee]

Child, Youth and Family savaged for leaving kids with violent parents for nearly a decade
EXPAND
Judge Clarkson said there were 20 notifications to CYF over nine years. Photo / Brett Phibbs
A judge has slammed the reckless actions of Child, Youth and Family workers who allowed four children to stay with their violent, abusive parents for more than nine years.

Social workers failed to respond to 20 warnings that the children were being abused and neglected by their father, a convicted child rapist, and their mother, who left them alone in a South Auckland car park.

The case has alarmed Family Court judge Dale Clarkson so much that she has referred it to the Children's Commissioner.

Jane Drumm, head of New Zealand's largest anti-domestic violence agency, Shine, said she had never seen anything like it in her 15 years of experience.

Judge Clarkson's criticism, in a ruling released yesterday, was made after the mother and father both applied for custody of the four children aged 13, 9, 8 and 3.

She determined that neither parent was able to care for the children, and ordered that the youngsters be removed from the home.

But the judge's more-severe comments were reserved for Child, Youth and Family (CYF).

"Quite apart from the disappointing lack of protection of these four children, I am left wondering if this is indicative of CYF's practice."

She said despite police, family members and teachers repeatedly bringing the case to the attention of the government agency, the children were left with their parents.

"Because I consider that the deficiencies in CYF's performance in this case have been so serious, I propose to refer this decision to the Commissioner for Children for further investigation."

Jane Drumm described the case as a "systems failure", the like of which she had never seen before.

At times, the children were left in the care of their father, who had a conviction for repeatedly raping his 14-year-old niece.

They were also left in the care of their mother, who on one occasion left two of them in a carpark in South Auckland. A member of the public complained. Police responded two hours later and found the children with chicken, bread and juice.

"On returning to her car, she [the mother] apparently showed little concern," Judge Clarkson said.

The woman told police she had been in the Manukau District Court to see her husband's court case. At the time, he had active charges of rape, threatening to kill and assault.

Judge Clarkson said there were 20 notifications to CYF over nine years.

In October 2004, a family member made an anonymous complaint after one of the children - then aged 5 - was found with a cut to her head.

CYF found that the mother had abused the child but because the youngster was still in the care of the mother, "she was unable to be interviewed", Judge Clarkson's ruling said.

A "whanau agreement" was entered into but there were no records to show the result.

"This response by the Ministry (of Social Development, CYF's overseer) to what they recognised as established physical abuse on this child can only be described as reckless."

On one occasion, three of the children were inside their father's car when the mother smashed the windscreen and passenger window with a steel pipe.

CYF referred the matter to a community-based programme before closing the case.

On another occasion, the father shattered windows, punched five holes in the wall, broke two mirrors and smashed a coffee table to pieces.

After a discussion between CYF and police, "it was deemed that no action was required", Judge Clarkson's ruling said.

Under questioning in court, a CYF social worker supervisor conceded: "I probably would have done things a bit differently with some of the history we've had over the years."

Ms Drumm said it took a lot for people to phone CYF and she hoped they continued to. "This is as bad as it gets." She said it was appalling that CYF could allow the children to be in the care of a man who had a conviction for raping a minor.

"All these children have been witnesses to terrible abuse for years and years - their whole life - and it is really difficult to come back from that. They've had no childhood, no love and no care," she said.

A spokeswoman for Children's Commissioner Dr Russell Wills said the office expected to receive the judge's finding next week.

She said a team from the office would look into the issues and report back to the judge, but it was unlikely the findings would be made public.


Neglect and inaction

October, 2003: Father assaults mother and their 4-year-old, who is left with a blood nose. CYF removes the children but returns them to the parents the following year.

March 2004: Mother tells hospital staff of ongoing violence. CYF closes the file "due to a delay in the information being provided".

September 2006: Seven-year-old daughter tells her teacher that she and her younger sister have been hit. There are also unexplained absences from school.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10854196

[Lovelee]

A man has been charged with assault after a 9-month-old boy was seriously injured in Rotorua two weeks ago.

A police spokeswoman confirmed a 21-year-old man had been arrested and would appear in the Rotorua District Court on Monday.

She said the police investigation was ongoing.

The spokeswoman said that about 6.15pm on December 28 an ambulance was called to a Korimako St house in Selwyn Heights after a family member went to a neighbour for help.

The child, who was in the care of extended family at the time, had suffered serious injuries, including head injuries.

He was flown to Starship hospital but has now returned to Rotorua Hospital where he is in a stable condition.

He is expected to be released from hospital this week and will be placed in interim care.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10858284

[Lovelee]

Malnourished children have been discovered sleeping rough at their parents' home, in an alleged case of serious neglect.

Four of the children, aged 7 months to 4 years, have been taken into custody by Child, Youth and Family and assessed for infection by hospital staff.

Police found the children when they were called to an incident at a Lower Hutt home last Friday.

It is understood there was a lack of food in the home and the children, who had been sleeping on a mattress in the lounge, were suffering from poor hygiene.

The four children and others at the home were removed from their parents' care the same day in an "emergency uplift" and a joint operation involving CYF was launched, police said.

The children's parents, who are in a de facto relationship, have been arrested and are each facing four charges of neglect.

They are scheduled to appear today in Lower Hutt District Court where it is expected police will oppose their bail.

CYF yesterday confirmed it had dealings with the family previously, but would not say when or in what capacity.

Acting central regional director Bev Markham said it was working closely with police on the case after it was called in to help on the night of the incident.

"Child, Youth and Family has temporary care of four children and is completing assessments on the other children to ensure they remain safe."

A spokesman said CYF had carried out its duty of care in relation to the children.

He declined to comment further while the case was before the courts.

Detective Sergeant Emma Foote, officer in charge of the Hutt Valley family violence team, said the operation had been effective through the sharing of information and a strong relationship between police and Child, Youth and Family.

"Our joint aim has been to assist in providing a safer environment for these children and to try and make a real difference."

She urged people to contact police if they had concerns about the care and welfare of children they knew.

- © Fairfax NZ News

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/8165277/Police-expose-kids-neglect

[Lovelee]

A Whakatane boy suffered life-threatening hypothermia after being subjected to cold-water showers by his Child Youth and Family caregivers.

Soon after the 2-year-old came into their care last year, Stephen and Eunice Towns began smacking him and giving him cold showers as a form of corrective discipline, a court has been told.

On one occasion - after he refused to eat his breakfast - the boy was forced to spend more than 10 minutes under the cold water causing his body temperature to drop to dangerous levels.

He was unconscious when taken to Whakatane Hospital on May 11 and had a core body temperature of 31.6 degrees Celsius, placing him at risk of fatal cardiac dysrhythmia.

In the Whakatane District Court this week, the Edgecumbe couple admitted abusing the boy over a five week period with Eunice Towns, 42, pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm and assault. Her husband Stephen Towns, 52, pleaded guilty to assault.

They will be sentenced in the Tauranga District Court on February 18, the Whakatane Beacon reported.

A second woman, aged 19, faces a charge of wounding with reckless disregard to which she has pleaded not guilty. She has interim name suppression and will next appear in the Whakatane court on February 5.

The Towns were approved Child Youth and Family caregivers who had previously cared successfully for various children over the years.

However, last year was a difficult one for the family, with stressful events affecting Eunice Towns' ability to react calmly to situations.

In spite of this, the couple agreed to take on the care of three children under the age of three, including the victim, who arrived in early April.

Within three weeks the couple were feeling the stress of caring for the children alongside their usual family and work responsibilities, and began using excessive force when grabbing the pre-schooler, bruising various parts of his body.

When he refused to do as he was told his foster mother would push him, causing him to fall over.

She also began giving him regular cold showers of up to a minute, up to three times a day.

Her husband was doing the same thing, pushing the boy, smacking him and giving him cold showers to discipline him.

On May 11, when he refused first to eat his breakfast, then play with any toys, Eunice Towns became very upset and took him to the shower where she made him sit under the fully cold water for five minutes before increasing the level above cold to wash him.

Another woman took over the showering and noticed the temperature but made no attempt to increase it.

The boy was under the cold water for between 10 and 15 minutes, and began suffering hypothermia within five minutes of getting out of the shower.

By the time he reached Whakatane Hospital his  condition was life-threatening.

Doctors also noticed multiple abrasions and extensive bruising over much of his body.

The couple admitted reacting poorly and abusing their positions as caregivers.

Eunice Towns expressed extreme remorse but could not provide a reasonable explanation for what she had done.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/8185285/Boy-left-hypothermic-by-caregivers

[ssweetpea]

What could a 2 year old do to deserve that sort of punishment?

[Lovelee]

It looks like the woman caregiver might have stressed herself out .. begs the question, why did she not go to CYFS for support?

perhaps she was too stressed ... but dammit someone elses kid!!

[Newtown-Fella]

no fucken excuses needed the carers are worse than animals .....

carers stressed yeah right so is the poor wee 2yo ..