‘Still waiting for answers’
A decade after her mysterious death, Kiwi mum’s family meet police in continuing quest for answers. Hamish McNeilly reports.
The family of a young Kiwi mum found dead in mysterious circumstances in Sydney a decade ago remain hopeful for a breakthrough in the case.
The body of Nadine Haag, 33, was found in the shower of her Castle Hill flat in Australia, on December 4, 2009.
Police inquiries into her death concluded the mother of one died of a suspected suicide, but that was rejected by her family who began an extraordinary investigation into her death.
That investigation by her siblings: Tasia, Cherie, Chantal and Marcel, led to a coroner overturning the police ruling, declaring an open finding in August 2013.
Tasia Haag confirmed that family of the former Dunedin woman met with police for an annual update, although there were ‘‘no real solid statements or answers as to what exactly has been going on’’.
‘‘We are still answers.’’
A NSW Police Force spokeswoman waiting for told the Sunday Star-Times the investigation ‘‘remains open’’ following the coronial inquest, but declined to comment on the outcome of a recent review of the case.
Haag went to Kaikorai Valley
High School and trained as a chef in Dunedin before her family moved to Australia in the 1990s.
There she began volatile relationship with Nestore Guizzon, the father of her child, who she left in March 2009.
At the time of her death, Haag had been trying to obtain permission through the Family Court to go to Queensland with her daughter, and her relationship with Guizzon had become increasingly acrimonious.
After Haag didn’t show up to pick up her daughter at an agreed upon time, firefighters found her body in the shower of her Castle
aHill flat, northwest city.
Her family immediately suspected she had been murdered. Her body was covered in bruises, and underneath a hastily written suicide note, police found a separate note which read in capital letters: ‘‘He did it.’’
Despite police ruling it was a suicide the Haag siblings kickstarted their own investigation, including recreating the crime scene.
NSW deputy state Coroner Paul MacMahon in his findings noted Guizzon had been ‘‘dominating, controlling and abusive of Nadine’’.
He also highlighted impending in of the the
Family Court proceedings between the former couple as a possible motive, and that Guizzon ‘‘lied about his whereabouts’’.
However, no evidence placed Guizzon at the scene at the time of Nadine’s death. Guizzon, who could not be reached for comment, has consistently denied having anything do with her death.
MacMahon did not criticise the police investigation, nor refer Haag’s death for criminal prosecution.
However, he did conclude ‘‘there is significant evidence inconsistent with unassisted suicide’’.
That open finding was driven by the sibling’s investigation, which included recreating the crime scene, talking with neighbour and providing details concerning their sister’s relationship with Guizzon.
While an investigation was still under way, the family would be limited with the information provided by police, Tasia Haag said
‘‘It’s been 10 years since our sister, daughter, mother, aunty, and niece has passed.’’
To mark the anniversary of her death, the Australia-based family recently had a get together alongside ‘‘wha¯nau from our beloved Aotearoa’’.
‘‘We thank everyone who constantly has us in their thoughts.’’
Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers in Australia on 1800 333 000.