Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Parents of Napier teen Kaea Karauria appeal for information about his death, father reveals final fight

By Moana Maniapoto
Whakaata Māori·
9 Jun, 2025 09:32 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Hawke’s Bay couple Ren Karauria and Kym Baker are appealing for information about their son Kaea Karauria's death. Photo / Te Ao With Moana

Hawke’s Bay couple Ren Karauria and Kym Baker are appealing for information about their son Kaea Karauria's death. Photo / Te Ao With Moana

Originally published by Māori Television

Hawke’s Bay couple Ren Karauria and Kym Baker barely held it together as they spoke about the tragic death of their son Kaea Karauria.

Just weeks before his 16th birthday, Kaea was attacked and fatally stabbed at a birthday party in the Napier suburb of Onekawa on May 11. He died in the early hours of Mother’s Day as an ambulance crew tried to save him.

“He had a big heart,” sobbed his younger brother. That sentiment was echoed by his grief-stricken mother Kym, who said Kaea “loved his nannies”.

A month on, the 20-strong police team investigating the killing has not made an arrest or laid charges. Until now, inquiries have been met with a wall of silence, despite about 50 people attending the 18th birthday party where Kaea was fatally stabbed.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The whānau have spoken publicly for the first time, hoping their appeal might prompt someone to come forward. Their social media appeals have, so far, gone unanswered.

They described Kaea as a “handsome 6’3” [1.9m] young man who was ‘a good sports player’” – an understatement, as he had shown promise as a rugby player and made all the local rep teams.

They said he was creative and artistic and an academic achiever.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

They spoke of a young man just getting into the swing of teenage life, who openly shared that with his parents.

To Ren’s regret, there was an argument between him and Kaea on the night of the party that they never got the chance to resolve.

“I didn’t want him to go. Anyway, long story short, he ended up going and he came to the door and said goodbye to me.

“And because I was angry and I didn’t want him to go, I didn’t say anything. But his brother said, you know, ‘see you’. But I just wish I had said goodbye… told him I loved him.”

Last weekend, Kaea’s parents attended a special rugby match to honour their son. It was between Napier Boys’ High School and Hastings Boys’ High School; Kaea had been a student at both.

Last weekend, Kaea Karauria's parents attended a special rugby match to honour their son. Photo / Aotearoa Maori Rugby League
Last weekend, Kaea Karauria's parents attended a special rugby match to honour their son. Photo / Aotearoa Maori Rugby League

The couple said it helped restore their faith in community. Now they’re appealing to the power of community to help identify those responsible for their son’s death.

Ren also claimed there have been threats and intimidation of potential witnesses. He appealed to those in the know who feel frightened or threatened, urging them to “do the right thing,” come forward and understand the power of the community “who are willing to get behind them”.

Ren was also keen to address rumours that the family had gang affiliations; an allegation they deny despite some extended whānau members being patched.

He believes the rumours may have been fuelled by photographs of Kaea that have been “taken out of context” and “misconstrued”.

“Even if that was the case,” said Ren. “It doesn’t make it right, you know. It doesn’t mean that he deserved to be taken away from us like this.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The family are also traumatised by their understanding that a number of people were around their son on the night of the stabbing but did not help him.

Ren’s message is clear: “Do the right thing, otherwise you’re going to have to carry that for the rest of your life. You shouldn’t have to carry something like that for someone else.

“We might be able to go back out into our community and feel safer. We might be able to get more rest and start to heal.”

Anyone with information is asked to make a police report online or by calling 105, using the reference number 250511/1317.

Information can also be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111. Or by DM to Te Ao with Moana on its social media platforms.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

'Traumatic situation': Napier bus collides with mobility scooter

13 Jun 08:02 PM
Premium
Opinion

The Cossack ready to resume from where he left off

13 Jun 06:00 PM
Premium
Opinion

The trust, the individuals and the interns - the volunteers who make MTG tick: Laura Vodanovich

13 Jun 06:00 PM

It was just a stopover – 18 months later, they call it home

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

'Traumatic situation': Napier bus collides with mobility scooter

'Traumatic situation': Napier bus collides with mobility scooter

13 Jun 08:02 PM

The scooter rider suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital.

Premium
The Cossack ready to resume from where he left off

The Cossack ready to resume from where he left off

13 Jun 06:00 PM
Premium
The trust, the individuals and the interns - the volunteers who make MTG tick: Laura Vodanovich

The trust, the individuals and the interns - the volunteers who make MTG tick: Laura Vodanovich

13 Jun 06:00 PM
Premium
Is rent ‘dead money? Nick Stewart

Is rent ‘dead money? Nick Stewart

13 Jun 06:00 PM
The woman behind NZ’s first PAK’nSAVE
sponsored

The woman behind NZ’s first PAK’nSAVE

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP