WARNING: This article discusses allegations of child abuse and may be upsetting to some readers.

On a chilly evening, a distressed young girl turned up unannounced at a friend’s home – cold, hungry and nursing a sore arm.

Her arrival sparked a police investigation that has led to a child abuse trial involving 35 charges against a Whangārei couple entrusted with the care of vulnerable children.

Now before the Whangārei District Court, the husband and wife face allegations of violence and cruelty towards children placed in their care as far back as 2012.

As registered Oranga Tamariki caregivers they had multiple children living with them over the years and four key witnesses are expected to testify about their experiences in the household.

The alleged offending came to light when a child, Sally*, ran away and a friend’s mother alerted police.

An investigation was opened, leading police to other children who had been in the couple’s care at various stages.

Eighteen of the charges relate to Sally, who referred to the accused as Mum and Dad. She alleges she was hit with a stick, burnt with a lighter, slapped and punched.

A key incident in the trial has revolved around a cellphone Sally reportedly found at the Warehouse.

She told police that when she tried to hand the phone in to security, they advised her to take it to police, but instead she took it home.

When she got home, her parents became suspicious she was hiding something in her T-shirt and an altercation allegedly occurred.

Sally said her mother began hitting her and when the phone dropped out, she was thrown into a corner.

The girl then ran away, catching a bus and hitch-hiking to a friend’s house on the other side of Whangārei.

On Wednesday, her friend’s mother gave evidence to the court of what she recalled from the night Sally turned up at her home.

She said she invited the girl in as it was a cold night and she did not have much clothing on.

“That’s when the story unfolded that she had run away from home,” the woman told the court.

“She had said they had pulled her hair and that was the first thing that indicated something not nice had happened.

“A little later in the conversation it became noticeable that her arm was sore and she said her arm had been pulled when they had tried to restrain her and stop her running away.”

Sally confided in the woman that she hadn’t eaten for two days, explaining her mother often called her fat, which made her feel uneasy about eating.

The trial at Whangārei District Court may now run for four weeks.

Although Sally asked her not to, the woman contacted police and told the court what she heard Sally disclose to an officer.

“She said they took turns restraining her and punched and hit her in the head and back,” she said.

The woman noted that while she didn’t observe any visible injuries, Sally was clutching her arm and mentioned it was hurting.

Lawyer Douglas Blaikie, who is representing the wife, put to the woman that Sally could have been “putting it on”.

“I don’t believe she was putting it on,” she responded.

“I could see a very terrified girl in front of me who had run a very long way.”

Last week, a doctor who examined Sally at Whangārei Hospital after the alleged assault testified about her findings.

She reported that Sally was experiencing pain in her left arm, hand and central abdomen and also felt discomfort while breathing.

“I did not see bruising in my examination but there were other findings indicative of previous trauma,” she said.

She also noted the girl had a scar below her knee, which Sally reported was from a burn allegedly inflicted by the caregivers.

Another child in their care, Mary*, has testified in relation to 11 charges concerning her treatment.

Among the allegations, she claims the couple restrained her and forced chilli into her mouth. She also reports being physically assaulted multiple times and gave evidence she was allegedly confined to a room without food for three days.

Three additional children will testify about what they observed in the household, which may extend the trial to four weeks – one week longer than originally planned.

Judge Greg Davis initially closed the courtroom to accommodate the children’s testimonies but has since reopened the proceedings to the public.

FAMILY VIOLENCE

How to get help: If you're in danger now: • Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours or friends to ring for you.
• Run outside and head for where there are other people. Scream for help so your neighbours can hear you.
• Take the children with you. Don't stop to get anything else.
• If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay.
Where to go for help or more information:
• Women's Refuge: Crisis line - 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843 (available 24/7)
• Shine: Helpline - 0508 744 633 (available 24/7)
• It's Not Ok: Family violence information line - 0800 456 450
• Shakti: Specialist services for African, Asian and Middle Eastern women and children.
• Crisis line - 0800 742 584 (available 24/7)
• Ministry of Justice: For information on family violence
• Te Kupenga Whakaoti Mahi Patunga: National Network of Family Violence Services
• White Ribbon: Aiming to eliminate men's violence towards women.
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Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei-based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.