James Whakaruru

1999 James Whakaruru, 4 years old. After months of beatings and abuse, 7 visits to hospital in one year, 40 examinations medical professionals, he was finally punched and kicked to death by his mother’s boyfriend, Benny Haerewa who was out after having been found guilty of earlier attacks on the same child. Haerewa apparently carried out these beatings, at least on one occasion, in the presence of another child, who on command, handed him such instruments of torture as jug cords and vacuum cleaner pipes. Haewera was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. Source: https://childabuseinnz.wordpress.com/my-memorial/

James was 4 when he died on April 4, 1999, after suffering a prolonged beating by his mother's partner, Ben Haerewa. It was the culmination of a series of beatings he had suffered from Haerewa, who was jailed for bashing him when was 2. The abuse continued once Haerewa was freed. James once arrived at hospital with his penis cut so badly that he needed an emergency circumcision. Different excuses were given as to how the injury occurred. His mother said he had been bitten by a dog, and hit by another child with a stick. Despite the differing stories, it was decided "nothing sinister had occurred" and no action was taken. In his final assault, Haerewa stood on his chest. He choked James by putting his hands around his throat and hit him with a small hammer, a jug cord and a vacuum cleaner hose because he refused to call him daddy. James stared blankly during the beating, so Haerewa poked him in the eyes. The case shocked the country after it was revealed that all sides of James's family were well-known to social workers, yet little was done to prevent his death. Haerewa pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He was freed in December 2010 after serving 12 years. In its last report before his release, the Parole Board expressed grave fears about his risk to the community, describing him as "violent" and "high-risk". Source: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/80077933/james-whakarurus-fa...

James is buried in an urupa near the top of a small hill at Pakipaki, just south of Hastings. "When you go there on a nice day, you can see what my son has got to look at. He's overlooking all of Hastings. I just like the thought that he's got something so beautiful to see all day."