WDHB event review about Ross Bremner to remain under wraps

Keith Bremner, pictured with daughter, Loren and wife, Clare, is still recovering from stab wounds after being stabbed by son, Ross, in Otorohanga in October last year. Photo/File

A review into the mental health care received by triple killer Ross Bremner will remain under wraps at his family's request.

Bremner was an inpatient of the Waikato District Health Board's Henry Bennett Centre when he killed his mother Clare, and Kawhia couple Maurice O'Donnell and Mona Tuwhangai in October last year.

Otorohanga man Bremner, a diagnosed schizophrenic, also left his father, Keith, 64, with serious knife wounds.

Three days later Ross Bremner's body was found alongside those of Maurice O'Donnell, 72, and his wife Mona Tuwhangai, 82, at the couple's property near Kawhia, about 65km away.

Keith Bremner is recovering in Waikato Hospital and reportedly remembers little, if anything, of the incident.

Mona Tuwhangai and her husband, Maurice O'Donnell, were killed by Otorohanga man Ross Bremner. Photo/File

The DHB carried out a serious event review into its care of Ross Bremner, however after meeting with the families of Bremner and O'Donnell and Tuwhangai to share the findings with them, the Bremner family declined the DHB's request to make the findings public.

"The Bremner family has declined the DHB's request to share this report publicly at this time," executive director of mental health and addictions services Derek Wright said today.

"Under the Health Information Privacy Code we are therefore not able to release the report as it contains confidential patient information.

"This was a tragic case which deeply affected the community. We have been keeping in regular contact with the families to offer our support."

The family has requested privacy at this time, he said.

The review has now been passed to the coroner and shared with the police.

It has also been sent to the director and chief adviser of mental health at the Ministry of Health.