Family and close friends gathered in the Christchurch suburb of Wigram yesterday to finally farewell 10-year-old Charlene Makaza at a private funeral. Some were overcome with emotion as her small, white casket was lifted into the hearse.
Charlene died about 1am on January 7 in Christchurch Hospital -only hours after her aunt found her in bed with breathing difficulties.
A homicide inquiry was launched after a post-mortem examination showed Charlene did not die of natural causes, and may have been suffocated.
Five people in the house where Charlene lived were questioned by police, including her 12-year-old sister and two male cousins aged 20 and 24.
Police said, after an extensive search, they found no evidence of an intruder on the property.
It was revealed last week that Charlene had also been subjected to a violent sexual assault.
Police said the injuries were recent and strongly suspected they were inflicted around the time of her death.
Final post-mortem results would not be available for four to six weeks.
The coroner released Charlene's body last week and family gathered yesterday to say their goodbyes.
Charlene's family declined to speak to the Herald on Sunday and had asked the funeral director not to release any information on the service to the media.
Lawyer Susan Lewis released a statement on behalf of the family to the media last week. She said the family was "very concerned that some reporting in the media was quite misleading". The family just wanted to "let things lie", she said.
Charlene and her sister were brought to New Zealand from Zimbabwe about two years ago. They had been in the care of their aunt and uncle since their parents died when Charlene was 5 months old.
Child Youth and Family confirmed last week that Charlene's sister had been taken into CYF custody, but would not say why.
