Welfare tot killed by dad

By Theresa Garner and NZPA

A 2-year-old girl murdered by her father had been placed in his care just two months earlier by the Children, Young Persons and Their Families Agency.

David Mark Crosland, aged 25, was this week sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering his daughter at Ohinewai on September 9, 1997.

Tishena Valentine Crosland died from a traumatic head injury, but it was not the first beating.

Witnesses in the Hamilton District Court said that her father used to beat her with his belt, a piece of wood and his shoe, after the agency gave him custody in June.

At least four women, including the child's grandmother, knew Tishena was being hit, but no one reported it.

The agency's acting chief social worker, Mary Iwanek, said the death showed the importance of public awareness campaigns to eliminate abuse. Tishena was one of 38 children being watched by the agency who died in the past year.

The jury that convicted Crosland accepted that he pushed her head against the bath, knowing she could die.

Tishena and her younger brother had been removed from their mother's care by the agency's Tokoroa office, under a "place of safety" warrant, which is sought if "there are serious, immediate concerns for the children."

They were placed with their father and his partner, Shelley Roberts. The couple, who had met on an alcohol and drug rehabilitation programme, had a 6-week-old baby of their own.

About a month before the death, Crosland's partner wanted to return the child to the agency but decided to wait until the bruising went away. It never did, because the beatings did not stop.

An agency spokesman said children given safe placements were checked by social workers. "How often depends on each case."

The agency will not comment on the Crosland case until after a routine case review with the Commissioner for Children.

The review is standard whenever a child it has been involved with has died violently.

Parentline, the child advocacy service, said the death was symbolic of New Zealanders' belief that what goes on in someone's backyard is no one else's business.

"We need to change that belief to keep children safe," said spokeswoman Megan Morris. "When kiddies are murdered through child abuse, there are always other people who know the abuse is going on."

Tishena's mother is in Mt Eden Prison, serving time for driving offences.