'Her life sucked': Girl who sought help died after years of neglect and abuse

WARNING: This story discusses the suspected suicide of a young girl.

A father says the loss of his 12-year-old daughter is as raw today as it was the day he learned she had died almost a decade ago.

He remembers her as a “beautiful little angel” and a happy, fun-loving child who he said never received the help she deserved.

The father said the abuse and neglect the New Plymouth girl suffered at home turned her into a lost soul.

“Her life unfortunately sucked.”

The girl, who cannot be named, died by suspected suicide in 2017.

Two years after her death, Dana Bernadette Taylor was sent to prison for the physical and psychological abuse of the girl and two other children, which spanned 2011 to 2017. For legal reasons, the children’s connection to Taylor cannot be reported.

At Taylor’s sentencing in June 2019, the court was not asked to link the girl’s suspected suicide to the offending, Stuff reported.

However, the sentencing judge said an inference could be drawn from the “misery” in which she had been living.

Today, following a lengthy delay, an inquest into her death began in New Plymouth before Coroner Heather McKenzie.

The coroner began the hearing by acknowledging the girl’s whānau in court, and others who weren’t present.

She said they had engaged with the inquiry with grace and courage.

Coroner McKenzie addressed the “extremely regrettable delay” in concluding the inquiry, explaining the case was transferred to her in March this year and she made it a priority.

She said the inquest was not going to traverse the cause of the girl’s death, which has not been disputed, or “the immediate circumstances or events” that happened in the lead-up.

“This inquest also isn’t a retrial of Miss Dana Taylor. She’s been through the criminal justice system and convicted following [the girl’s] death.

“Instead, this week, we’re going to focus on the agency response to [the girl’s] living circumstances as they knew them to be at the time.

“I want to know and to hear about why more action was not taken before [the girl] died, given the circumstances were such that a prosecution and lengthy sentence followed.”

Coroner Heather McKenzie is presiding over an inquest into the death of a 12-year-old Taranaki girl, who died in 2017 by suspected suicide.

Coroner McKenzie said the inquest would also look at what would happen today in a similar case, and what recommendations could be made to help prevent deaths in similar circumstances.

In a statement read by counsel Quinn Katene-Rosa, the girl’s father said he had been excluded from his daughter’s life and that the agencies and services meant to protect and support her had let her down.

“At times it felt like no one really cared, or to put it plainly, gave a s***.”

He knew the inquest would not bring his daughter back, but he hoped that her lived experiences could bring meaningful change so that other children in similar circumstances were supported and had a better outcome.

“I owe that to [his daughter]...

“My daughter’s life had value, she was loved beyond measure and she deserved the opportunity to live the life she had ahead of her.”

Counsel to assist the coroner Rebekah Jordan made an opening statement during which she described the girl as having a lot of friends, being musically talented, and having a passion for drawing.

Jordan said before the girl’s death, her school had made several visits to her home with concern for her “appearance, behaviour and disclosures”.

Counsel to assist the coroner Rebekah Jordan at the inquest into the death of a 12-year-old Taranaki girl.

“What the school witnessed caused them to seek assistance from organisations such as Oranga Tamariki, New Zealand Police, social support agencies and others.”

This was not the first time such agencies had been involved with the girl and those in her home, Jordan said.

She said the girl experienced an “extremely difficult childhood characterised by ongoing and severe abuse”, as well as a generally unstable living situation.

Due to the difficulties she encountered in her home life, she spent many nights away, staying with friends.

On June 25, 2017, she was dropped at her home around 2pm after having spent two days at a friend’s.

Taylor was home and had been drinking since about 8am. Other adults and children were present.

Later that day, the girl was found unresponsive and emergency services were called.

She died at Taranaki Base Hospital on June 27, 2017.

Counsel for Oranga Tamaraki Fahri Agam (left), Jozephine Parker, counsel for police, Cherie Clarke (standing), and Detective Senior Sergeant Louise Prendergast.

Counsel for Oranga Tamariki Jozephine Parker addressed the coroner, saying three Oranga Tamariki witnesses would give evidence at the inquest.

The evidence would cover the agency’s involvement with the girl, provide insight into regional and national practices and outline changes that have occurred since the girl’s death.

Cherie Clarke, counsel for New Zealand Police, told the coroner five police witnesses would be called.

“I’m confident that they will establish for [the father] in particular that police carried out their duties professionally and to the highest standard that we expect of them. They shared their information with Oranga Tamariki openly and fully.”

The first witness called was the girl’s primary social worker at Oranga Tamariki at the time of her death.

She told the coroner she was appointed her key contact on May 11, 2017, after the girl’s school principal made a report of concern by phone.

That afternoon, the principal, a police constable and the girl went into the agency’s office to follow up.

The social worker, who has name suppression, said she interviewed the girl that day and she was assessed as feeling sad, worthless, restless and worried “a little bit of the time”.

The girl admitted to having earlier thoughts of “ending it all” but did not have a plan to follow through with them.

However, there was evidence of self-harm.

The social worker assessed the self-harm as not being a high level of concern.

The social worker said that during her short involvement with the case, she visited the girl’s home, made phone calls, and referred the girl and Taylor to counselling services, and Taylor to alcohol and drug services.

A safety plan for the girl was put in place, along with a plan to refer her to other services, and an agreement was drawn up that included Taylor’s commitment to engaging with the support.

But the social worker went on to receive reports that Taylor was failing to engage. There were reports of her being under the influence of drugs, and concerns from the school about the girl’s behaviour and absence.

The safety plan for the girl at home included “exit plans”, calling the police, and running to the neighbours to seek help.

Jordan, for the coroner, asked the social worker if a 12-year-old needed a safety plan to live in their own home then what were they doing there, to which the woman did not comment.

Home considered safe and secure

Jordan pointed to multiple previous reports of concerns made to Oranga Tamariki relating to Taylor and the girl, including in 2015 and 2013.

The social worker said she was not aware of the agency’s previous involvement when she first took on the case, and had not reviewed the earlier reports by the time she put the girl’s management plan in place.

She accepted the plan was made “without the full picture”, and said there had been no discussion at any point about uplifting the girl from the home.

The social worker said the goal was to work alongside those involved to care for the girl, “honouring” them by allowing them to care for her with supports.

Asked whether, despite the girl disclosing drug abuse and verbal abuse in the home, the safety plan was sufficient, the social worker said she believed it was.

Jordan asked about Taylor’s failure to engage with social support agencies, including how many chances someone would generally be given to engage.

The social worker said two to three.

Speaking to the girl’s behaviour, Jordan said the principal believed it was linked to what was happening at home.

The inquest is being heard in the New Plymouth District Court. Photo / Tara Shaskey

The social worker accepted that it would have been “one factor” but also said it was a result of the girl’s mental health issues.

Jordan suggested her mental health issues were also a result of what was happening at home.

“I believe it could have been impacted,” the social worker responded.

The girl had also disclosed that she had no sense of safety and security in her home, leading Jordan to ask whether Oranga Tamariki assessed it as safe and secure.

“I believe so,” the social worker said.

“Was that Oranga Tamariki’s conclusion until [the girl] died?” Jordan asked.

“Yes.”

The social worker said that conclusion changed following her death.

Under questioning from Clarke for the police, the social worker said Oranga Tamariki was unaware of the violence and severe neglect in the home until after the girl died.

Apart from a complaint the girl made to police that was closed due to a lack of evidence, the agency had no information that would have triggered a Child Protection Protocol response, she said.

SUICIDE AND DEPRESSION

Where to get help:
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 7am to midnight)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO (available 24/7)
• Youth services: (06) 3555 906
• Youthline: 0800 376 633
• What's Up: 0800 942 8787 (11am to11pm)
• Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7)
• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
• Helpline: 0800 000 053
• Samaritans crisis helpline: 0800 72 66 66 (available 24/7)
• Aoake te Rā- bereaved by suicide service : 0800 000 053
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

Tara Shaskey is an assistant editor and reporter for the Open Justice team. She joined NZME in 2022 and has worked as a journalist since 2014.