The mother of a 14-year-old girl attacked by a gang of girls in Greymouth at the weekend blames Facebook bullying.
Police said the girl was thrown to the ground and kicked in the head and the body in the attack on Saturday.
The Greymouth High School student had been hassled
at school last year, but the family thought that had been sorted out and she had not had any problems this year.
The victim's mother said today she believed Facebook was "99 per cent to blame'' for what she called an unprovoked attack.
The girl suffered two black eyes, a suspected broken nose and grazing and bruising to her face. Her friends, who were unable to stop the attack, picked her up and took her to the police station. She was treated by medical staff.
