Melissa Nightingale is a Senior Reporter for the Herald, based in the Wellington region.
Melissa began working for NZME in 2013 as a journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle, after completing a Diploma in Journalism and a Bachelor of Communications degree at the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec). Melissa started on the crime, emergency and health rounds and now specialises in court reporting in her role in the capital - though continues to cover all things Wellington and beyond. She is also the host of the NZ Herald podcast The Fifty Year Secret, which uncovered shocking new evidence in one of New Zealand's oldest cold case murders. Melissa is always on the lookout for great news tips and welcomes the occasional cute animal story to break up the flood of crime. She can be emailed at melissa.nightingale@nzme.co.nz or messaged on X (formerly Twitter) @mel_nightingale.
Dignity and reputation: Police defend heavy redactions in Kiri Allan file
Police say the redactions are in line with Ombudsman guidelines for privacy.
'Suspicious fire' at house linked to vigilante search for missing woman's remains
Emergency services attended a suspicious blaze at the property.
'Where's my baby?': Woman who had miscarriage in ED toilet never got to meet her son
Kiwi mums share their stories of how the current system only made things worse.
Police file reveals new details from Kiri Allan’s career-ending crash
Photos, statements and notebook entries have been released under the OIA.
Man sentenced for rubbing hand in cop's face
Steven Rex Richards pleads guilty to downgraded charge.
KiwiRail fined $412k for Cook Strait ferry mayday, passengers describe terror
Kiwirail has pleaded guilty to exposing passengers and crew on the Kaitaki ferry to harm.
Teen who lost leg after being hit by skidding car shares new reality
The driver offered to give CJ the car he hit him with - but police impounded it.
'We are being let down': New dementia research reveals major reason Māori and Pacific people more at risk
The research shows there is potential to change forecasts through policy.
'Mayday': Aviation expert says burst oil seal may have sparked engine fire emergency
Irene King said such faults were not common, because of rigorous maintenance checks.
'Not as it seems': Police warn 'vigilantes' after kidnapping claim spreads online
An innocent man was accosted by a member of the public as rumours spread online.
Dad out of coma, recovering from deadly flu that killed his wife
John Leonard's first messages to his sons after waking up were jokes.
Wellington flooding: Trains resume, worst of rain moves north
Another band of rain is forecast to come through in the next 24 hours.
Baby death in perinatal period more likely if mothers had Covid while pregnant
The annual report looks at causes behind perinatal and maternal deaths.
Coroner’s report on Joji Bilo: Wellington truck crash victim’s death was preventable
Bilo, 25, a road worker, was killed in Ngauranga Gorge in March 2019.
'No one listened to me': Mums share stories of birth trauma to help others
Kiwi mums have shared their stories of birth trauma in a bid to raise awareness.
'Fighting hard': Husband of nurse who died from flu has procedure to fix hole in lung
John Leonard was airlifted to Auckland in a coma for specialist care.
Armed cops arrest man after car chase and crash near motorway
A 35-year-old man was arrested after crashing during a police chase.
Artist wins $25k for tapestry of drawings in prestigious art competition
Ella Jones said she almost didn't enter the competition as she thought it was a long shot.
Health NZ blocks early free access to 'miracle' cancer drug
Early access to the drug could make a significant difference in some patients' survival.
No silver bullet: Maths teaching changes criticised
The changes would further strain the workforce without delivering promised results: union.
Prison guard smuggled contraband to inmate for $3700 cash
The former Corrections officer has been sentenced to home detention.
'She just wanted to go home to her baby': Father describes daughter's last moments before fatal hit and run
Jason Tuitama told police: 'I know I shouldn't have driven; I've drunk too much.'
Wellington nurse's funeral on hold as husband fights for life
Doctors were now talking in days rather than hours when speaking of John Leonard's care.
'Babysitting' mental health patients keeps police from core work, minister says
The minister said other agencies had become used to relying on police.
'Mum is at peace': Woman whose remains lay undiscovered for 36 years finally buried
Patricia Burt laid to rest alongside her husband decades after disappearing.
The signs I missed as my asthma turned deadly – Melissa Nightingale
OPINION: When I started having a severe asthma attack, I didn't know what was happening.
Second person dies after Ōtaki house fire
Investigations are continuing to determine the cause of the blaze.
One dead, one critical after Ōtaki house fire
One person is dead and another is critically injured.
Hospital staff 'already getting hurt' as cops pull back from mental health callouts
Some say the changes should have come sooner, while others say it will cause direct harm.
'Sadistic': Man killed neighbours' cats to protect garden, kept corpse in a cage in wardrobe
Pet owner says he was 'extremely broken' after the death of his cat.
'Heaps of cops': Armed police swarm Porirua suburbs, roads blocked, men arrested
Police, including Armed Offenders Squad members, converged on Plimmerton this afternoon.
How not to ram raid: Offenders escape out windows after getting car wedged in dairy
The culprits fled the scene empty-handed after getting the car stuck in the doorway.
'Set up to fail': The $200b cost of abuse in state care
Abuse in care costs an estimated $857,000 over each individual survivor’s lifetime.
Mother killed with son in Southland house fire was everyone's 'best mate'
The last messages Kelly Kemble Kerr sent to her friend were full of love for her children.
'Could have saved him': Mum's grief after losing unborn baby; fears for 'laid-back' maternity care
Lana calls for more routine screening, saying NZ's maternity care is too laid-back.
'Hitler was right': MPI worker quits job after probe into hateful social media posts
The employee quit his job shortly after being told he was under investigation.
Man accused of child rape won't be retried after convictions quashed
The complainant told police she did not want to pursue a second trial.
'Shadow of what I used to be': Man smashed in head with brick while restraining thief
Victim says his attacker should not be allowed to keep his name secret.
Guy Wallace's evidence in Scott Watson case 'irretrievably tainted'
Wallace at one point asked police if they were trying to lay the murders on him.
Man appears in court on murder charge after fatal stabbing at Waikanae Beach
The man's name will remain secret until at least early July.
'I felt exposed': Woman's fears after info stolen in Covid data breach
The woman feared a harmful person from her past could have accessed her information.
Mum couldn't recognise her own children before mid-life epilepsy diagnosis
When Antoinette's symptoms began at 42 she feared early dementia.
'Hitler was right': MPI investigating 'abhorrent' posts from staff member's account
The employee says his Instagram account was hacked and he did not make the comments.
Precious photos stolen after dead man's home 'ransacked'
Even a baby photo was taken off the fridge.
'You do it': Witnesses argue over performing CPR on murder victim
The dispatcher tried for several minutes to get people at the scene to start CPR on him.
'Go upstairs': Murder trial witnesses describe emotionless scene
First responders initially couldn't see the wound that caused so much blood loss.
Firefighter will 'never forget' amount of blood at murder scene
The firefighter was told it was a medical call, but arrived to find Tongia dead.
Shot in the back while sleeping: Four women on trial for murder
The killing is said to be revenge for an earlier assault.
'Scared for my future': Amputee describes crash that took his leg
Ed Dormon's first thought was about being able to continue his passion of caregiving.
Portrait of Māori climate activist wins $20k art prize
Artist Maryanne Shearman said she wanted to paint someone who deserved to be painted.
Why Kiri Allan never had to go to court for careless driving case
The former Justice Minister was sentenced on two charges after the crash.
Kiri Allan sentenced on crash, refusing to go with police
The former Justice Minister's trial has been called off at the last minute.
'Visual insult': Residents outraged after squiggly line painted along walkway
A council staff member said a contractor had been trialling a new machine.
Top prosecutor's breaches in murder case revealed
One breach included asking police to omit information from a job sheet after a meeting.
Man found dead in Invercargill in ‘unexplained’ circumstances is named
Police attended after a body was found yesterday, a post mortem will take place tomorrow.
Kiri Allan to go on trial this week for crash incident, refusing to accompany police
Allan says she is testing a grey area in the law.
Infamous murderer loses legal battle over NZ prison sex ban
The convicted child sex offender has challenged rules against sex in the treatment unit.
Deadly Loafers Lodge fire victims remembered one year on
Today marks one year since a horror fire tore through the boarding house and killed five.
'About bloody time': Son welcomes news of murder charge in mum's cold case
Family have welcomed news of a charge, five years on from their mum's death.
Criminals printing guns to look like toys, police say
Police are seeing more 3D-printed guns, but the number is still small in context.
Skeleton found after 36-year mystery: Was mum's death sinister?
Patricia Burt's daughter says a visit to the site has raised more questions for her.
Police identify woman found dead in Wellington harbour
The woman was thought to have been walking nearby shortly before she was found dead.
Mum sentenced for failing to get medical care for injured baby
The baby had been out of hospital just a few days when his mother noticed something wrong.
Mystery surrounds identity of woman pulled dead from Wellington Harbour
Multiple people have died in Wellington Harbour during the past decade.
Smashing good time: Why are people paying to destroy things?
The Smash Room in Upper Hutt already has a few regulars after opening in December.
'Fattening the profits of law firms': DIA legal team in proposed cull, says union
The changes are the latest proposal in a string of public service staff reductions.
One in 10 electric blankets fail hotspot testing
Thermal imaging could show where coils touch or cross over.
Electric blanket fire killed 82-year-old woman and her dog
Coroner's report has prompted a warning as we head into colder weather.
'Trapped in their homes' by boy racers: Suburb's nightmare during car meets
Some people felt they couldn't leave their homes while the boy racers were there.
Killer and child sex offender fights prison sex ban in rehabilitation unit
The convicted killer said the ban was a breach of the Homosexual Law Reform Act.
Caught in 4 minutes: Speedy police nab burglar red-handed
Officers happened to be in the area investigating reports of a suspicious male.
‘It really breaks my heart’: Nurse performed CPR on dying victim of quadruple fatal crash
A nurse who helped at the scene said she performed CPR on one of the dying victims.
Girl needing machine to slow lung damage 'shocked' as donations pour in
Victoria Wilson said she burst into tears after one family donated $7000.
Three die in 'horrific' crash near Lake Pukaki, 20 involved in accidents on same road
There were two crashes involving a total of six vehicles and about 20 or more people.
'She deserves a good life': Girl needs $20k machine to slow lung damage
Maddi Wilson ends up on antibiotics or in hospital for even mild viruses.
Pair plead not guilty in 'horrific' child abuse case, mum of kids charged
The two people charged over the children's injuries have appeared in court.