Teen arrested after fatal Northland party appears in court

Police at a Snowdon Ave property in Moerewa on Sunday after the death of an 18-year-old during a party. Photo / Jenny Ling

A teenager arrested after a party in Moerewa at which another teen died has been granted interim name suppression at his first court appearance.

The Kawakawa 18-year-old faced a charge of male assaults female when he appeared in the Kaikohe District Court yesterday.

Lawyer Catherine Cull did not seek bail but did ask for name suppression at least until his next appearance.

That was granted by Judge Keith de Ridder, who remanded the teenager in custody until Friday.

Cull said she would seek an Oranga Tamariki placement for the accused, who would be vulnerable in an adult jail due to intellectual capacity issues and foetal alcohol syndrome.

The accused's mother and grandmother were in court yesterday but the deceased's family did not attend.

Police launched a homicide investigation after they were called about 12.20am on Sunday to a Snowdon Ave property in Moerewa where a party had been taking place.

They found an unresponsive 18-year-old with stab wounds. He died at the scene despite efforts to revive him.

The deceased was named by police as Krillan Koni Brown.

Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Dalzell said police still had a lot of work to do in the inquiry.

Once the interviews and forensic investigations had been concluded they would decide if there was sufficient evidence to lay further charges.

Police were not looking for anyone else, he said.

The victim in the male assaults female charge is believed to be related to the deceased.

About 20 people were thought to have been at the party when the incident occurred.