Anaru Te Wheke Donny Te Moananui Rogers

Anaru was killed by his biological mother in 1997, when he was just 17 months old, following a prolonged period of abuse. On January 28 1997, Anaru arrived at Wellington Hospital's intensive care unit with brain hemorrhaging, swelling, severe bruising and untreated broken bones. A scan found no brain activity and he was pronounced dead the next day. Moke was found guilty of infanticide, a charge available to women who can show their minds have been temporarily "disturbed" by the stress of childbirth or breastfeeding. The maximum penalty is three years' imprisonment. Moke, then aged 27, received two years' supervision. It is understood Moke has given birth to at least five children, including Anaru. Those children have been put into the care of relatives. Murphy says before the broken bones and scalding showers, Anaru had a happy life. When Anaru was born he was taken in by the Te Moananui family, the same family that adopted Murphy through the unofficial Maori adoption process known as whangai. Anaru's biological father was a patched member of Black Power - he and Moke didn't want Anaru, she says. Meanwhile, Murphy's whangai father was the president of the gang's local chapter. He had six daughters and no son. He and his wife wanted a little boy, so offered to whangai Anaru. Murphy says Anaru was a bright, bubbly boy during his nine months with the Te Moananui family. He earned the nickname 'Pigeon Boy' for his cooing noises. Otherwise, he was known as Boyboy. Anaru's favourite toy was the phonebook, Murphy says. He would turn his nose up at fancy toys but loved to sit on the couch flicking through the yellow pages. And when the large family would go for an outing in the van they played Anaru's favourite song - OMC's How Bizarre. With six sisters, Anaru was smothered in kisses and cuddles. Then one day Moke said she wanted Anaru back. The family didn't want to give up the boy they now saw as their son and brother, but the whangai process wasn't legally binding. Murphy says the family was heartbroken but tried to make the most of the little time they had left with Anaru. About 10 months after Anaru returned to his biological mother, the Te Moananui family opened the paper and read the news about the death of their baby boy. The Te Moananui family wasn't allowed to attend the funeral but they paid tribute to Anaru in their own way, with a hangi and some of his beloved mashed veggies. Source: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/faces-of-innocents/81340497/faces-...