He was my world, says father
The father of an 8-year-old boy killed in Southland says his ‘‘innocent little lad’s life has been stolen’’.
Police were called to an incident at a property in Otautau, 40 kilometres northwest of Invercargill, on Wednesday night.
Yesterday, Southland area commander Inspector Mike Bowman revealed an 8-year-old child had died in suspicious circumstances and a teen had been charged with murder and was to appear in Youth Court.
He would not say how old the youth was.
Police had cordoned off two houses in the town and were carrying out forensic examinations but Bowman stressed the inquiry was ‘‘still in its infancy’’.
They were not looking for anyone else in connection with the death. An autopsy was yet to determine how the child died.
The boy’s father received a call on Wednesday night to say his son was dead. ‘‘Our innocent little lad’s life has been stolen,’’ he said yesterday.
The father said the pair would go fishing and hunting together, with the 8-year-old often helping him on his fishing boat. He was also a keen rugby player, swimmer and did karate.
He split up with his son’s mother about two years ago but moved south to spend more time with him about three weeks ago. ‘‘[He] was my world.’’ A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said a man, woman and child moved into the house only a week ago.
Karl Jackson said he received a call on Wednesday night from the boy’s father, his friend, who was crying.
He had just learned his son was dead. ‘‘I go to him: are you sure; and he goes: it’s true. I just freaked out and broke down.’’
Jackson said he was ‘‘shattered’’ for the family. ‘‘Words can’t explain the hurt and discomfort that has occurred in the little rural town in western Southland.’’
The boy is the 11th child aged under 14 to have died in suspicious circumstances in New Zealand in 2019.