A terrified girl is pulling out of intermediate school until she regains her confidence after being bashed. Photo / NZME
A 13-year-old Rotorua girl allegedly bashed and concussed by another teenage girl while walking home is so “terrified” of going to school that she will have to stop.
The victim’s mother is furious the teenager, also aged 13, accused of attacking her daughter has been “terrorising” the school yet, in her view, seems to face little consequences.
Meanwhile, her once-happy daughter suffered panic attacks and nightmares and was too scared to walk anywhere even with friends or siblings, she said.
Police say the teenager is too young to face charges in the Youth Court but will be dealt with via a process where a plan is made for the young person to have a chance to make right what they have done.
The victim goes to Kaitao Intermediate, which has been the centre of five incidents relating to the offending teenager, who does not attend the school and has been trespassed.
The offender caused the school to go into lockdown twice and allegedly assaulted two teachers and two students - including the one in this article.
The Rotorua Daily Post agreed not to identify the victim because her family said they feared retribution.
She was attacked on June 12 as she walked home from school with two friends just after 3pm.
Her mother said the alleged attacker asked a question as they passed but her daughter kept walking without responding.
The girl allegedly punched her and pulled her specialised Irlens glasses off then stood on them and threw them into bushes. Irlens are coloured lenses for light-based and visual processing difficulties.
The mother said her daughter was then allegedly punched in the face and back of the head, pushed over and kicked on her legs and back.
A passing parent yelled out and the attacker ran away.
The parent took the trio home and police were called.
The mother said her daughter burst through the door holding her face and not wearing her glasses.
“She is the most quiet girl in the world who doesn’t cause trouble.”
When her daughter’s head injury got worse that night, her mother took her to Lakes Primecare medical centre and a doctor confirmed she was concussed.
The mother said Kaitao Intermediate had been targeted by the teen girl in the days before her daughter’s assault.
The Rotorua Daily Post reported in June the school’s struggles with the teen girl.
In that article, deputy principal Adrian Firmin outlined five incidents:
The student’s mother told the Rotorua Daily Post her daughter could not go to school for several weeks because of her headaches and fear. This term she had only managed one full day and two half days but was always “looking over her shoulder” so the mother had decided to pull her out for the rest of the year.
She had no glasses for more than a month as she needed a specialised eye test, which was too difficult for about three weeks while suffering from concussion.
The mother said replacement glasses cost $429 and she was grateful the Empowered Learning Trust paid $300 and Kaitao Intermediate $129.
The mother said they frequently saw the teen girl near Kaitao Intermediate while taking her other children to school.
She would either be with friends, sitting on street corners or doing things like “smirking”, “pulling the fingers” and “causing chaos”.
She said her daughter had panic attacks each time she saw the girl.
“She is terrified of going to school.”
She said Kaitao Intermediate was “incredible” and was doing all it could, including allowing her to pick up her daughter inside the school gates and having teachers on patrol, but she believed the issue was out of its hands.
“It’s such a muck-around because of one 13-year-old girl … It’s like a game to her and she seems very proud of herself for all the chaos she’s causing.”
The mother said they did not want the teen girl to know where they lived so they did not park their vehicle at home.
Her children no longer walked the streets or went to the shops.
“It seems like all our freedom has been taken away. The kids don’t have peace of mind.”
She wished her daughter could be “out there experiencing life”.
“It’s so stupid to be stressing and hiding in rooms.”
She said police told her to ring 111 when there was an issue, but she believed it wasted everyone’s time.
In her opinion: “[The teen girl] is terrorising and intimidating everyone knowing she can.”
She said until there were “some consequences” for the girl, she could not leave her daughter “panicking” at school.
“It’s re-traumatising her … I want her to build back her confidence.”
Firmin said he was confident Kaitao Intermediate provided a safe and secure learning environment. There had not been any more incidents inside the school in several weeks.
“However, we support the right of any parent to make the decisions they feel are best for their child.”
The school was helping the student’s family with alternative education arrangements.
“The unrest the teen has caused has had a lasting impact on a small but significant number of students, which we are managing in conjunction with whānau and community support.”
He said the teen was frequently spotted on adjoining roads and at local shops during the school day.
“We understand there has been continued harassment of particular students in the community but away from our gates.”
He said the school was pursuing Ministry of Education funding for a lockable gate to ensure outsiders could not enter.
The school had adopted new end-of-day protocols where staff checked the front gate and, if necessary, walked students to the end of the road to ensure their safety, Firmin said.
Staff members were also patrolling the neighbourhood in their own vehicles checking for danger.
He expressed the school’s thanks to community members who had offered support, and wanted to assure whānau staff had “the safety of all our children as our highest priority”.
“Our strength is in working together for the benefit of all - Mā te whānau, tātou e puāwai.”
Sergeant Jim Harvey of the Rotorua police Youth Services said those aged between 10 to 13 who committed offences not subject to a penalty of a maximum of 14 years’ jail were dealt with by Oranga Tamariki under the “care and protection system”, and they might need to go to a family group conference or Family Court.
He said he could not comment on individual cases but was aware in this case and the process was still being put together. He said victims would be notified soon about the next steps.
Generally speaking, he said young people involved in these procedures worked with their families, professionals and, if appropriate, victims and their families to come up with a plan to make good what they had done.
Examples could include koha for reparation, taking part in certain activities or doing work agreed to in the plan.
Once everything was carried out in the plan, that would be the end of the matter and no further action would be taken.
Harvey said he was aware of the Kaitao Intermediate incidents and said he had encouraged those involved to call 111, not 105, if there were any issues involving any students.
“If they call 111 we can get a car there as soon as possible but if they call 105 it’s deemed not urgent.”
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.