Gran offered to take Moko
Paternal grandmother says gesture made out of concern for child not desire for money
The grandmother of a little boy whose death shocked New Zealand says she offered to take care of him a month before he was killed. But Nicola Rangitoheriri told an inquest that her offer was rejected by the boy’s mother.
Moko Rangitoheriri was 3 when he died on August 10, 2015 after suffering horrific beatings at the hands of his caregivers.
Rangitoheriri, Moko’s paternal grandmother, told the Rotorua District Court that she wanted to pick up Moko and his sister from Taupo, where they were staying with Tania Shailer.
However, because of various court orders in place, Rangitoheriri needed a letter of support from the children’s mother Nicola Dally-Paki.
The letter was promised, said Rangitoheriri, but then denied.
In earlier evidence, Dally-Paki said the offer was rejected because Rangitoheriri only wanted money, not to look after the children.
Rangitoheriri rejected this allegation and said she only had fears for the safety of Moko and his sister in the care of Tania Shailer.
“I found out they were with Tania ... I know their background, I wouldn’t leave my kids with her.”
Shailer and her partner David Haerewa were jailed in June 2016 for 17 years with a minimum non-parole period of nine years after pleading guilty to manslaughter. They appealed their sentences, saying they were too harsh. But the Court of Appeal rejected the bid.
Nicola Rangitoheriri also expressed frustration after raising concerns with Child Youth and Family.
“To the government departments and their support people involved before the passing of my grandson, step up when whanau like myself have concerns, it takes a lot for us to ask and speak out,” she said.
“I screamed and yelled but no one heard me or helped me.”
She was well aware of the violence her son, Karauna Rangitoheriri, inflicted on Dally-Paki. He was on home detention with her in Manurewa at the time and was not allowed to have contact with the children.
So in order to try and get Moko and his sister, Nicola Rangitoheriri organised a new home detention address for her son to comply with the non-association orders.
But she said this offer was rejected by Dally-Paki at a whanau hui.
Moko and his sister went to live with Tania Shailer when their brother was in Starship hospital with a serious infection from a leg injury, and DallyPaki was unable to get accommodation nearby.
Dally-Paki said she was trying to escape a violent relationship and was struggling financially on the domestic purposes benefit, as well as travelling back and forth from Tokoroa.
Her application was declined because of her history of family violence, gang links and possible safety risk to others. For similar reasons, Dally-Paki was declined to get housing at the Auckland Women’s Refuge.
So Moko and his sister had to stay with Shailer and Haerewa. Two months later, he was dead.
Dally-Paki “absolutely” regretted making the decision to send them to Taupo with Shailer. “I believe the policies and procedures assisted in bad decision-making that led to my son’s death . . . I will also continue to advocate for families of domestic violence and encourage them to get help free of judgment or criticism.”
“Perhaps if I had been judged less harshly, Moko would be [here] today.”
Dally-Paki was also critical of Trina Marama, a staff member at the Maori Women’s Refuge, who supported Shailer at a CYF meeting a few days before Moko died on August 20, 2015.
According to the evidence of Detective Inspector Lew Warner, Moko’s sister told Marama that she and Shailer had been hitting Moko.
“Aunty Tania would punch Moko but she made sure to say that the punches didn’t hurt,” is how Marama described her conversation with Moko’s sister to police, which was recorded in her statement.
In her brief of evidence to the Coroner, Marama said her statement to police about how “Aunty Tania would punch Moko” was either “inaccurately written or understood”.
However, according to a report by Detective Senior Sergeant John Wilson, Marama’s first comments about Shailer hitting Moko were verified by a social worker who witnessed the original conversation with police.
“This retraction is clearly as a result of Marama realising she should have reported . . . signs that child abuse was going on in the Shailer/Haerewa household,” wrote Wilson in a report handed to the inquest.