A man has been sentenced to prison after three very young children were discovered living in severely neglectful conditions that put their health and safety at risk.
According to a report by Marty Sharpe of Stuff, the children, aged between six weeks and three years, were urgently removed from their parents in mid-2024 after growing concerns from authorities. The father has since been jailed for neglect, while the mother, who also admitted the charges, is due to be sentenced in May. The parents cannot be named to protect the identities of the children.
Initial concerns were raised when the youngest child, just six weeks old at the time, failed to gain weight despite support from medical professionals and social workers. Follow-up visits to the home only deepened worries about the well-being of all three children.
On August 1, 2024, police and Oranga Tamariki staff visited the property and found it in a poor state. The house was cold, cluttered, and had a strong smell, with damp carpet and piles of dirty nappies and rubbish outside. Inside, the family shared a bed that was covered in clothes, Marty Sharpe of Stuff has reported.
The parents were instructed to take the baby to Waikato Hospital in Hamilton but instead went to Thames Hospital. Staff there told them to take the baby to the paediatric unit at Waikato Hospital and gave them petrol vouchers for the trip. Despite this, they did not take their baby to Waikato Hospital.
According to Stuff, the following day, Oranga Tamariki obtained a warrant to remove the children due to immediate safety concerns. When staff entered the home, they found the baby wet and vomiting. The older children were still in full nappies and wearing the same dirty clothes from the previous day. Medical checks showed the three-year-old had four upper teeth decayed almost to the gums, while the two-year-old appeared unkempt with matted hair.
The baby was admitted to hospital for four days because of low weight, and tests revealed methamphetamine and amphetamine in his urine.
Both parents were charged with neglect. The father pleaded guilty and was sentenced in December to two years and five months in prison. He later appealed, arguing the sentencing judge relied on an incorrect summary of facts and that his sentence was too harsh, as reported by Stuff.
The appeal was heard this month in the High Court at Auckland by Justice Mathew Downs. Crown lawyer Sylvie Arnerich said none of the issues raised would have made a meaningful difference.
“What was relevant, however, was that [the baby] is an incredibly vulnerable victim by virtue of his age. He was completely defenceless, and was dependent on the care of [the father] and his co-offender,” Arnerich said, as quoted by Stuff.
Justice Downs agreed and dismissed the appeal.
An Oranga Tamariki spokesperson confirmed the children are now living with an approved caregiver.
“Any incident of harm to a child or young person is unacceptable to Oranga Tamariki,” the spokesperson said, urging anyone concerned about a child’s welfare to contact the agency, Stuff has reported.
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