The young woman gave a statement at the conclusion of an inquest into the death of her wh\u0101nau member, a 12-year-old girl she believed would still be alive today had someone listened and stepped in.<\/p>\n
The girl, who cannot be named, died by suspected suicide on June 27, 2017.<\/p>\n
Two years after her death, Dana Bernadette Taylor was sent to prison for the physical and psychological abuse of the girl and two other children, which spanned 2011 to 2017. <\/p>\n
For legal reasons, the children\u2019s connection to Taylor cannot be reported.<\/p>\n
Today, the now young woman, one of the children at the centre of the earlier prosecution, said they were often left hungry and to care for themselves in an unsafe environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe spent much of our childhood speaking with teachers and social workers, yet we did not receive the protection or intervention we needed,\u201d she said in her statement, read by counsel to assist the coroner Rebekah Jordan.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember [the 12-year-old] trying on numerous occasions to seek help in the period before her death.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my experience, her concerns were not properly heard or acted on.\u201d<\/p>\n
She believed Oranga Tamariki failed them, saying social workers often visited them at home and at school.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur living conditions were apparent from the state of the house and from the condition of us as children.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe frequently had head lice or dirty clothing and had poor hygiene because we had not been taught or supported to care for ourselves properly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were three children living in neglect, and I struggle to understand how this was not recognised as requiring urgent action.\u201d<\/p>\n
The young woman said the warning signs were clear and the unsafe circumstances were visible.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe that if someone listened to [the 12-year-old] and acted appropriately, she may still be alive today.\u201d<\/p>\n
She believed police also failed them, recalling having conversations as a child with police officers about their living situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo meaningful action was taken to improve our safety or wellbeing.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said she spoke not to avoid the complexity of what happened but to ensure their experiences were fully acknowledged.<\/p>\n
The young woman hoped the inquest would lead to change for other families in similar circumstances, but said it was \u201cgravely disappointing\u201d it had taken nine years for someone to listen and take action.<\/p>\n
Counsel to assist the coroner, Rebekah Jordan, read the young woman’s statement on her behalf. Photo \/ Tara Shaskey<\/p>\n
On Monday, after a lengthy delay, an inquest into the girl\u2019s death began in New Plymouth<\/a> before Coroner Heather McKenzie.<\/p>\n The inquest<\/a> was not to determine the cause of her death, which has not been disputed, or the events in the lead-up.<\/p>\n It has instead focused on agencies\u2019 response to the girl\u2019s living circumstances at the time, and why more action was not taken before she died. <\/p>\n Today, Coroner McKenzie spoke directly to the young woman, acknowledging the delay in the inquest. <\/p>\n \u201cIt is too long. And I apologise on behalf of this court.\u201d<\/p>\n Fighting back tears, the coroner said the young woman\u2019s words were powerful and that she had given the girl a voice.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve brought [her] to us.\u201d<\/p>\n On hearing that the young woman had flourished in recent years and was moving into a vocation that would involve her helping others, the coroner became emotional.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m proud of you. I really am,\u201d she told her. <\/p>\n Family harm events<\/p>\n Earlier, Detective Senior Sergeant Louise Prendergast, who provided the police report to the coroner and was involved in Taylor\u2019s prosecution, said police recorded the girl had been exposed to 22 family harm episodes in her lifetime.<\/p>\n She was a known victim on three occasions.<\/p>\n Prendergast, who found police dealt with the case appropriately, said police were not aware of the girl being a suicide risk.<\/p>\n She said the girl displayed escalating antisocial behaviour before her death and her wh\u0101nau was hesitant to engage with police.<\/p>\n Under questioning, Prendergast acknowledged there had been a report the girl may have been part of a suicide pact.<\/p>\n She said it was investigated but never went further. <\/p>\n Concern recorded to different child\u2019s file<\/p>\n Yesterday, the inquest heard the girl was allowed to remain at home under a safety plan involving teachers, wh\u0101nau, neighbours and calling 111 if she felt unsafe. <\/p>\n Coroner McKenzie asked an Oranga Tamariki supervisor, who cannot be named, whether it was appropriate to place such responsibility on a child.<\/p>\n The supervisor, who managed the girl\u2019s key social worker, said the girl was considered capable of seeking help and \u201cself-protecting\u201d to some degree.<\/p>\n She defended the agency\u2019s handling of the case, saying concerns raised by the girl\u2019s principal and a senior constable on May 11, 2017, received \u201ccritical attention\u201d.<\/p>\n The girl made a serious allegation, which triggered a Child Protection Protocol (CPP) response. Police later closed that complaint because of a lack of evidence.<\/p>\n The inquest heard a further report of concern was made to Oranga Tamariki about the girl days before she died, with information that would have again triggered a CPP response.<\/p>\n Inadvertently, the concern was put on a different child\u2019s file. It included allegations of physical abuse, which the supervisor said was new information and would have commenced a joint investigation with police within 24 hours.<\/p>\n But the concern was not actioned. <\/p>\n Evidence also focused on the girl\u2019s mental health. Despite disclosures of self-harm and thoughts of \u201cending it all\u201d, she was assessed as having a low level of psychological distress and a low suicide risk. <\/p>\n The supervisor acknowledged the assessment appeared difficult to understand in hindsight but said staff acted on the information available at the time.<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems crazy to say that now, doesn\u2019t it? Given what we know now.\u201d<\/p>\n She said social workers considered the girl\u2019s history, signs of cumulative harm and the information they had access to, but did not have the benefit of all information held by other agencies.<\/p>\n The inquest heard the key social worker did not review the girl\u2019s history of concerns to Oranga Tamariki, which were available at the time of the May 2017 report.<\/p>\n The supervisor said the social worker was usually thorough in considering chronology. <\/p>\n The inquest heard the girl\u2019s Oranga Tamariki records dated back to before she was born, with \u201csignificant long-term concerns\u201d being recorded.<\/p>\n In May 2017, the key social worker was managing 42 clients when the ideal number was fewer than half that.<\/p>\n While the inquest heard police and Oranga Tamariki worked closely when issues reached the CPP threshold, the supervisor said that, generally, \u201ctwo lines\u201d of communication were happening.<\/p>\n That included the girl\u2019s principal, a senior constable and the girl\u2019s resource teacher, and not all reached Oranga Tamariki, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of people had a lot of information that wasn\u2019t being shared.\u201d<\/p>\n The coroner pressed the supervisor on whether Oranga Tamariki was proactive in requesting more information.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, except we don\u2019t know who has it,\u201d she responded. <\/p>\n Asked what could make a difference, the supervisor said she wished key agencies, including police, health, education and child protection services, had access to a shared information system. <\/p>\n Police staff affected by \u2018tragedy\u2019<\/p>\n Detective Sergeant David Beattie, of the New Plymouth police family harm unit, carried out an internal review of the unit\u2019s involvement after the girl\u2019s death. <\/p>\n He told the inquest the case had deeply affected staff.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just a tragedy.\u201d <\/p>\n He suggested the serious allegation the girl disclosed in May 2017 may have been a tipping point, saying if the allegation was true the girl may have felt isolated and betrayed when Taylor allegedly did not believe it.<\/p>\n Beattie also highlighted alcohol abuse as a significant factor in many family harm cases, saying its impact on children was often underestimated.<\/p>\n The inquest, which called several New Zealand Police and Oranga Tamariki<\/a> witnesses and the girl\u2019s resource teacher to give evidence, concluded today.<\/p>\n Coroner McKenzie will release her findings at a later date. <\/p>\n Tara Shaskey is an assistant editor and reporter for the Open Justice team. She joined NZME in 2022 and has worked as a journalist since 2014.<\/p>\nCoroner Heather McKenzie is presiding over an inquest into the death of a 12-year-old Taranaki girl, who died in 2017 by suspected suicide. Photo \/ Tara Shaskey<\/p>\n
The inquest is being heard in the New Plymouth District Court. Photo \/ Tara Shaskey<\/p>\n