Daughter back home ‘heavily traumatised’

THE 15-year-old Auckland teen who claimed to have been held against her will is at home with her parents.

During a press conference at Nga Whare Waatea Marae in Mangere yesterday , LA Tukerangi’s parents Chris and Marie Tukerangi said their daughter was at home with them but she was ‘‘heavily traumatised’’.

Chris Tukerangi said the look on LA’s face when she got home showed she had been through a lot.

‘‘For me the thing that sticks with me when we first saw our daughter, just the look on her face, the look said a thousand words to us . . . It just almost left me speechless.’’

LA’s parents said they had not asked their daughter for details about what had happened during her time with Dean Whakatau.

She was returned to her parents from police custody three days ago.

LA had told family, via text and Facebook messages, on August 1 that she was being held against her will by Whakatau, 36. Police caught up with Whakatau on Thursday morning in Te Kaha, where LA was found safe.

However, police have not laid any charges against Whakatau in relation to the alleged kidnapping.

Whakatau was arrested on unrelated burglary charges and has been remanded in police custody until a court appearance on August 17.

During yesterday’s press conference Chris Tukerangi said his daughter had spoken to police but the family did not know when police would finish their investigation.