Daughter’s anger after police ‘misassign’ sex abuse complaint against Te Anau artist father who died suddenly

Police are facing questions over their handling of a sexual abuse complaint after a woman alleged her father groomed and assaulted her as a teenager, and says her report was ignored until after his sudden death.

Zoe Abraham claims police later told her they could not find her report in the system, and only after she produced screenshots was it discovered to have been “misassigned”.

The case has now been referred to the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA), with Abraham alleging that not only was the complaint botched, but she was also effectively dismissed because her father was dead.

Abraham alleges that she was groomed and abused for a prolonged period by her father, Te Anau artist Gordon Kane, when she was a teenager.

Gordon Kane photographed by the Herald in 2008. Photo / Sarah Ivey

She made a complaint to the police online via the 105 non-emergency reporting website on September 23.

“I have been living with this heavy secret for many years and am now ready to speak on it,” she wrote.

“My youngest sister walked in on a moment of abuse, and I have been advised she reported that to my school and to the local police station.

“At no time was I questioned. At no time did anyone reach out to me about the abuse.”

Just two weeks later, Kane died suddenly at Lake Manapouri.

Police said he had been hunting and failed to return home. His body was found on October 6 during a search of the area.

His death has been referred to the Coroner and is being investigated as a suspected suicide.

Abraham said police had not responded to her complaint when Kane died.

It was only after she went to her local police station and demanded to know what was happening that she says she got any response.

Abraham has now made formal complaints to both the police and the IPCA about the handling of her report.

“I put in my complaint, and I didn’t hear from them,” she told the Herald.

“I logged it online, expecting immediate reach-out. Nothing. I put in a couple of updates, a couple of requests for information.

“I was trying to get in contact [by phone], and I was always on hold – and then everything unravelled and he [died].”

Zoe Abraham says she made a complaint to police about her father Gordon Kane in September 2025. It was "misassigned" and no action was taken until after his sudden death. Photo / Supplied

Abraham suspects her father’s death was deliberate after he was alerted to her complaint.

“I thought, ‘Oh well, it’s over’. But then a couple of days later, I was like – no. I walked down to the police station and demanded to be seen,” she said.

“They couldn’t find my 105 complaint in the system. It was gone. I was wild. I showed them the screenshots and said, ‘It’s right here’.

“I had to sit for ages, and then finally a senior sergeant or something found it, and they advised me it had been misassigned.”

She told the IPCA that when police finally located her 105 report, she was allegedly told: “Gordon is dead, so it doesn’t matter”.

“Yes, it very much does. very much so,” she said in her complaint.

“The detective arranged for me to give my statement to provide ‘closure’ and I was then told he would contact me to advise if he would take it further. I have tried to reach out to him and have yet to receive any advice on what to do next or if he will take me seriously.”

Abraham also asked the IPCA to look into whether anyone in the police alerted Kane to her allegations.

“No one will answer this question. I am angry and need help,” she said.

“Police … are ignoring very real issues. The system failed at every step.”

Gordon Kane was also well known in hunting circles. Photo / Supplied

Abraham says she has decided to speak publicly about her allegations and complaints to shine a light on how hard the justice process was for some complainants.

She was “absolutely disgusted” with how her allegations have been handled so far.

“Perpetrators are protected, and the abused are taught to be quiet. I just want to change that narrative around ‘I have to be quiet’. I didn’t do anything wrong,” she said.

“It is so important to me that that message gets out there within the whole country and the whole world. I’m not frightened by anybody knowing my name, knowing my face, or knowing my story. I think it’s really important that we take this as high and as far and as loud as possible.”

Abraham has also made a complaint to Oranga Tamariki – formerly Child Youth and Family.

She believes several siblings mentioned her alleged abuse when she was still living with Kane.

She confirmed that she met with OT staff this week to discuss her case and said they were making inquiries about whether any action could or should have been taken by the agency at the time.

“Oranga Tamariki can confirm this person was mentioned in a Report of Concern made by Police to Child, Youth and Family in October 2003,” a spokesperson told the Herald.

"Because she was 18 years old at the time, she was outside the legal jurisdiction of Child, Youth and Family."

The agency said Abraham’s complaint was “still underway”.

“We urge anyone who has concerns about a child to contact us,” they said.

“If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 111. If you are worried about a child and want to make a report of concern, you can freephone us on 0508 326 459. ”

Anna Leask is a senior journalist who covers national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 20 years with a particular focus on family and gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual violence, homicides, mental health and youth crime. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on nzherald.co.nz