21 Nov 2023

Family say court suppressions made toddler death 'invisible'

From Morning Report, 7:35 am on 21 November 2023

Two aunts of a toddler killed in Southland say heavy court suppressions have made the boy "invisible".

They are speaking out after a coroner's findings came out, eight years after the child's mother's boyfriend inflicted fatal injuries on the toddler.

The man, "and no one else", was responsible for his death, the coroner found.

But state agencies - notably Oranga Tamariki, failed too, over multiple red flags that were raised, including by the boy's father.

One of the aunts on the father's side made a contrast between their case and the current investigation in Lower Hutt into the homicide of Baby Ru .

Her voice is disguised.