Caregivers admit assaulting 7-year-old boy

A South Canterbury woman and her son, who looked after a 7-yearold boy as caregivers, have admitted assaulting him.

Rikihana Deborah Reihana, 58, and Te-Ari Kupu Reihana, 33, pleaded guilty to two charges of assaulting a child when they appeared before Judge Dominic Dravitzki at the Timaru District Court yesterday.

According to the police summary of facts, the boy, who had lived with Rikihana and Te-Ari Reihana, ran away to be with his biological family on May 2, 2020, after suffering a series of assaults.

‘‘Since being granted the role of the victim’s caregiver, Rikihana and her son have practised physical discipline on numerous occasions,’’ the summary said.

‘‘This includes Rikihana striking the victim about his thighs and buttocks with a coal shovel, sometimes while grabbing and pulling him by the hair.’’

In one incident, Te-Ari Reihana, responding to an argument with his mother, kicked the boy’s knee with such force he went knee first into the glass window of a ranch slider, breaking the glass and causing a deep cut.

‘‘The defendants tried to stop the bleeding with a towel, but were unable to stop the bleeding and took the victim to Timaru Hospital,’’ the summary said.

‘‘On the journey to the hospital the victim was told by the defendants not to say anything about what had happened or to give an alternative explanation.’’

In another incident on May 2, 2020, the boy was hungry and ate some snack bars he wasn’t supposed to eat.

‘‘On finding this, the defendant Rikihana became angry with the victim, and beat him with a coal shovel,’’ the summary said, adding that when Te-Ari Reihana arrived home to learn about what the victim had done, he punched the victim in the chest.

‘‘Te-Ari told the victim to stand up. On getting up, Te-Ari grabbed the victim’s clothes, pulling the victim towards him. TeAri grabbed the victim’s fingers, bent them back, all the time shouting at the victim,’’ the summary said.

‘‘Te Ari then pushed the victim into a bedroom, causing the victim to fall heavily against the bed.’’

The summary said the boy packed some clothes, climbed out the bedroom window and ‘‘walked the train tracks to Timaru to be with his biological family’’.

‘‘The victim has been left traumatised by the actions of the defendants. He is extremely frightened of them.’’

Along with the emotional damage, the injury to the boy’s knee required 10 stitches.

The pair have been remanded on bail and will appear at the Timaru District Court for sentencing on July 23.

‘‘On the journey to the hospital the victim was told by the defendants not to say anything about what had happened.’’ Police summary