Doctor accused of murdering teen
A 16-year-old girl was allegedly murdered in her bedroom by a doctor as her mother and stepfather slept nearby.
Amber-Rose Rush – described as her family’s ‘‘heart and soul’’ – was found dead on her bed by her mother at their Dunedin home on Saturday morning.
The teenager’s brother checked for signs of life after hearing his mother screaming, but found none.
Police cordoned off the property and carried out a forensic scene examination at the weekend. Yesterday, they said a 30-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been charged with Amber-Rose’s murder.
According to the Medical Council, the accused is a registered junior doctor. Police said he was known to the popular teen.
Amber-Rose’s older brother, Jayden, told The Press he arrived home from work about 12.15am on Saturday, and knocked on his sister’s door, but got no reply. He thought she was asleep and went to bed.
He woke the next morning to the sound of his mother screaming.
‘‘I was asleep but jumped up instinctively and ran out, told mum to go ring the police to give her a task to do so she doesn’t freak out too much.’’
Emergency services arrived at the single-storey weatherboard home on Clermiston Ave in the modest suburb of Corstorphine a short time later.
Yesterday, social media was flooded with tributes for AmberRose, who had recently left school and started a job as a supermarket checkout operator.
Last month she posted online that 2018 was ‘‘gonna be my year’’.
In a tribute on Facebook, Lisa Rush described her daughter as ‘‘everything to me’’, saying she was ‘‘literally my other half, my soul, my everything’’.
She wrote: ‘‘I don’t know how to be without you, I cannot see a way to live without you, you’re everything to me, to all of us. You may be the baby of the family, but you are and will forever be the heart and soul of our family.’’
Jayden told The Press his younger sister had many ambitions growing up, including being a police officer.
‘‘She wanted to enrol in police school as soon as it was possible for her to do so,’’ Jayden said.
Amber-Rose was a talented artist and designed her own tattoo.
‘‘Amber loved to draw and was the most talented girl most people have ever seen. It had been that way for many years and it just amazed everyone.’’
Growing up with Amber-Rose was ‘‘intense’’, he said.
‘‘She has been stubborn and thick-skinned since day one, but the softness of her heart always shined through.’’
The family was appalled by what happened to Amber-Rose.
‘‘Our best friend and closest family member is gone,’’ Jayden said. ‘‘It’s understandable to be upset and feel such a strong sadness towards the situation, but we all know we have to stay strong, and we all have others to rely on.’’
Amber-Rose attended Kaikorai Valley College until last year, when she left school to work at City Centre New World on Great King St, Dunedin.
Kaikorai Valley College principal Rick Geerlofs said she was a ‘‘quiet, friendly student’’.
‘‘Clearly she is going to be sadly missed by family and friends and our thoughts and prayers are very much with the family and friends at this time.’’
The school was providing support to any students affected by Amber’s death, Geerlofs said.
Foodstuffs spokeswoman Antoinette Laid said Amber-Rose had worked at the store since December.
‘‘Our thoughts are with her family at this very sad time.’’
Appearing before Justice of the Peace Russell Atkinson in the Dunedin District Court yesterday afternoon, the man accused of killing Amber-Rose stood silently in the dock glancing briefly at the public gallery.
During the hearing, a group of angry men repeatedly yelled obscenities at him from the back of the court.
The defendant was granted interim name suppression. He was remanded in custody without entering a plea until his next appearance in the High Court on February 20.
Police said they were not looking for anyone else in relation to the teen’s death.