A book on child smacking that led to an American couple beating to death their seven-year-old adopted daughter could soon be banned from New Zealand's book shelves.
To Train Up a Child, written by fundamentalist United States Christians Michael and Debi Pearl, teaches parents how to smack, thump and pull children's hair as a way of disciplining them, Fairfax Media reported today.
Whitcoulls agreed to pull the book from its website after a complaint from American child abuse victim, now living in New Zealand.
She said she was shocked to find the book was being sold in New Zealand, despite the country's anti-smacking law.
The Internal Affairs Department's Censorship Compliance Unit said the book's content would be examined.
California couple America Kevin and Elizabeth Schatz were convicted of murder after following the book's instructions and subsequently beat their seven-year-old adopted daughter to death.
- NZPA