Bubbly little lad brutally ripped away
Te Puna 5-year-old Malachi Subecz died in hospital a year ago. Today, family members remember their cheeky, loving boy
In the weeks before Malachi Subecz was murdered, his older cousin was preparing a new place for him to call home.
School enrolment forms sat on the kitchen bench, a room was ready with a bed, and fresh clothes sat on the dresser.
But the care of Malachi was never granted to the woman who spent months trying to save him from suspected torture and abuse.
A year ago today, 5-year-old Malachi lay on a bed at Starship Hospital and succumbed to brain injuries suffered at the hands of his carer, Michaela Barriball.
In the final months of his life, he was beaten, burned and thrown against walls, culminating in a final beating on November 1 last year. His life support was switched off 11 days later.
Much has been said about the horrors he faced, and the monumental failings of state agency Oranga Tamariki in responding to concerns raised about his welfare while he was being looked after by his jailed mother’s friend.
But for Malachi’s aunt and cousin, who desperately fought to save him, the most important story to tell as the family marks a year on from his death, is who Malachi was.
Three years ago as an active 3-year-old, Malachi visited his grandmother’s grave for the first time. She died in 2001, buried at a plot in Waipukurau. He visited the grave with his mother, stepdad and aunt.
He didn’t completely grasp the idea of death, but seemingly knew what grief was.
“It was a real emotional thing for both me and Malachi’s mum. He saw that and pulled us into a hug,” his aunt Selena remembers.
“It will be okay,” he told them, holding his mum and aunt in his grip.
For Selena, it’s a memory that defines the boy’s nature.
“He was real caring, you know. It didn’t matter whatever it was that he was doing, if you went up to him and spoke to him he always took time to respond. He was always just so kind.”
Of the family members who contributed to this story, all refer to Malachi’s kindness, but most memorably, his cheekiness.
“He would always take my sunglasses and wear them, if they were lying on the table or on the couch or even on my head, he would just come over and take my sunglasses and put them on.”
A memorable incident with Malachi’s shoes remains a source of laughter. His mum had just bought a pair of expensive branded sneakers for the then 4-year-old.
“And I told her whatever you do, don’t let him wear them to kindy because you’re going to pick him up in the afternoon and they’re going to be wrecked.”
The advice was sound. Malachi’s mum arrived at kindy, and had to go hunting in the sandpit for the freshly buried sneakers.
“He was never naughty, just very, very cheeky. He made all of us laugh.”
Malachi’s stepdad fondly remembers the boy copying his gym routines. An adorable video shows Malachi, stomach on the ground, completing 10 push-ups as his family cheers him on.
“He was really bubbly. He just loved to copy me,” the stepdad said.
But Malachi’s most obvious passion could have seen him give a palaeontologist a run for their money.
“He could name just about every dinosaur there ever was,” cousin Emma* remembers.
“He would think it was real funny if you didn’t know what dinosaur he was talking about. For him, he thought if I know, the adults must know too.”
Reading through picture books or watching TV, Malachi would get excited at any mention or image of a dino, and he’d know exactly which one it was, too.
“He was just so clever.”
A year on from his death, the rawness of the grief has been near impossible for some members of the wha¯nau to process, in the knowledge so many questions about the circumstances of his death are yet to be answered.
An Oranga Tamariki investigation into the agency’s failings is ongoing.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions at the time Malachi was in hospital, Selena and Emma were forced to say goodbye to him via a video call.
“On a personal level it was so hard to process. Four months prior, our dad [Malachi’s grandad] had passed away. As a family, we were grieving the loss of our dad and grandad, and then four months later, it was another blow.”
Emma remembers trying to support the family over the 11 days, knowing the prognosis wasn’t promising.
“I kind of still had hope and I was trying to keep the hope alive, but at the same time, prepare [the family] because I saw what the doctors had written.
“It was even harder knowing that at home, we had everything ready for him. It was heartbreaking.”
The extensive media coverage had been difficult, but understandable.
“Reading all the articles that were made and as new information was released, it was hard. But then at the same time, what happened before he died needs to be shared.”
For the wha¯nau in the coming months, all eyes will be squarely fixed on the outcome of Oranga Tamariki’s investigation into Malachi’s death, and what the agency plans on doing to prevent a similar tragedy from occurring.
But for now, their thoughts are focused solely on Malachi’s memory — the boy who should still be here today.
*Some names have been changed to protect identities.
He was real caring . . . just so kind.
Malachi’s aunt, Selena