Child Abuse Must Stop And So Must the Right to Silence

16th March 2018

“The question must be asked, what are we actually doing to reduce the violent abuse of our children in New Zealand?” says Scott Guthrie, the Sensible Sentencing Trust National Spokesperson on Child Abuse.

Scott Guthrie is disgusted that yet another innocent, defenceless child was admitted to hospital with serious life threating injuries which in all reality could have easily been another Moko Rangitoheriri case.

The Howick baby was admitted to Middlemore Hospital on February 18th with a range of injuries, police say "Medical staff discovered significant fractures to her body, which included to her skull, ribs, arms and legs." The fractures have been described by medical experts as being of varying ages and classically associated with non-accidental injury. Despite an ongoing police investigation, no-one as at 16th March 2018, has yet been held to account for the child’s injuries.

“What normal human being thinks this kind of behaviour is remotely acceptable?” said Guthrie. “Here we have a defenceless child beaten and tortured over a lengthy period of time. This is clearly not a case of the child accidentally falling down some stairs, this clearly is a case of child abuse at its very worst.”

Sensible Sentencing Trust says there can never be any defence for beating a child and the people who inflicted these horrific injuries must be held accountable.

“All too often we hear the words the right to silence, when it comes to children being violently beaten and tortured. There should be no right to silence. That baby has care givers who live with it on a day to day basis. It is those people that should be charged and held to account for the offending until someone tells the truth. ENDS

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/do-right-thing-police-ask-help-after-baby-girl-suffers-fractured-skull-ribs-arms-and-legs-in-likely-non-accidental-injury?auto=5752245023001

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11708996

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