Kalis Manaia Smith

Lorraine Smith, 59, was today sentenced to 12 years in prison with a minimum period of six years after she strangled 13-year-old Kalis Manaia Smith with a tie. On the day of the murder Smith had been fighting with Kalis, who she cared for along with other grandchildren and her severely disabled adult son. Another child in the house heard the pair fighting and could hear Kalis saying "let go of me, stop pushing me down, I can't breathe", Cooke said. The two continued fighting and arguing throughout the evening, and Smith eventually told Kalis to come outside with her and help her close the windows of the sleepout. She grabbed a tie from the kitchen table and followed close behind Kalis, pulling the girl's hood over her face before wrapping the tie around her throat and strangling her with it. Smith then called Kalis' father and told him something had happened, then called 111 and admitted killing her granddaughter. She drove to the hospital after taking an excessive amount of anti-depressants. Kalis' father arrived at the house and found his daughter's body. He began CPR, but Kalis had been left too long without help, and with the tie still tight around her neck. Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/killer-grandmother-lorraine-smith-rar...

SMITH, Kalis Manaia. On 15th March 2019 tragically taken from us aged 13 years young. Much loved Granddaughter of Lorraine. Beloved Daughter of Adam Smith and Haley Austin. A loved Sister of all her Siblings. Kalis will be resting at the Whangaehu Marae, Beach Road, Whangaehu. Friends are invited to attend a Service to celebrate Kalis's life at the Marae on Wednesday 20th March 2019 at 11.00am to be followed by Interment at the family Urupa. Source: WanganuiChronicle.co.nz on Mar. 19, 2019.