Relative charged with sexual abuse of beaten girl

A nine-year-old Auckland girl allegedly severely and systematically abused by her parents, was also sexually molested while in Child Youth and Family care, according to a report.

The latest allegations follow Social Development Minister Paula Bennett's call for a report on the way welfare agencies handled the girl's case.

The girl's parents face more than 35 charges and a relative had been charged with her sexual abuse, the New Zealand Herald reported today.

Her parents are due to make their second appearance in the Waitakere District Court in Henderson, west Auckland, today. They both have name suppression.

The girl's teacher told Prime Minister John Key in an email how the girl came to school with black eyes, bruises and infected wounds.

She was found by police hiding in a wardrobe in November, with injuries to almost every part of her body.

CYF head Bernadine Mackenzie said the alleged sexual abuse happened while the girl was living with extended family but in CYF custody. The allegation was "deeply distressing".

She said the family had been involved with CYF, a family support agency, a registered ACC counsellor, a court-appointed psychologist, the child's court-appointed lawyer and a child and youth mental health service.

"Sadly, the primary focus of most of this professional engagement was not based on concerns she was at risk in her home," Ms Mackenzie told the newspaper.

"Rather it was to help the young girl and her family work through the sexual abuse she had suffered while previously living with close family caregivers."

She said CYF had been "terribly misled" with tragic consequences. Several people had deliberately concealed the abuse in the girl's home.

CYF would also investigate claims by the girl's teacher that reports of abuse were not investigated.

The teacher reported her concerns about "constant abuse" on a "weekly, almost daily" basis but the girl's social worker told the school she was "clumsy and accident prone".

The teacher had since resigned because her concerns were not taken seriously.

In the email she told Mr Key a young innocent child had been through unimaginable pain.

"Please don't sit back and do nothing."

When she was found the girl was starving, dehydrated and anaemic from internal bleeding.

A bone in her foot was broken and there was bruising all over her body.

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