13-year-old remanded in custody

A 13-year-old boy has been remanded to a secure Child Youth and Family facility until Friday, after appearing in the New Plymouth Youth Court today charged with the murder of a 50-year-old woman.

A court order in place prevents publication of details that will lead to the identity of the boy, the school he attended and the identity of the dead woman.

Detective Senior Sergeant Coward says the ongoing investigation is very sad and difficult for all those affected by the death.

He says officers are continuing today with a meticulous forensic scene examination at the Okoki house where the fatal shooting occurred and also on a white four door 1993 Ford Telstar car which was driven from the property after the shooting and stopped in Waitara.

Mr Coward is interested in hearing from people who saw that car on the roads between Okoki and Waitara, between 3.30pm and 5pm yesterday.

The victim’s body is this evening being removed from the house and will be taken to Palmerston North for a post mortem examination tomorrow.

Child Youth and Family says its thoughts are with the family of the 50-year-old woman who was shot dead in her Taranaki home.

Operations Manager, Marama Edwards says it has been working with the boy and his family.

She says the boy was not in the care of CYF at the time of the incident.

Ms Edwards says it's likely the boy will be remanded into Child, Youth and Family custody and placed in a secure youth justice residence.

She says they'll continue to work with Police as investigations continue.

Photo: NZ Herald