Jonelle Tangihaere Tarawa

Jonelle Tarawera was 8 weeks old when, in February 1997, she was rushed to Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland with fractured ribs, a high fever and convulsions. Repeated shakings and physical abuse at the hands of her father, Mita Jonathon Barrymore Tarawa, left her a profoundly brain-damaged, tube-fed, spastic quadriplegic. Her father was sentenced to two years' jail in December 1997 after pleading guilty to recklessly causing grievous bodily harm. Jonelle died in July 1998. Cyfs attracted controversy when staff at the Starship children's hospital refused to discharge Jonelle because the service was placing her with a relative convicted of sexual abuse. The service then tried to place her with a woman with a history of child neglect. Source: 4theKids