John Tekuru appears via audio visual link in the Rotorua District Court in April. Photo / Kelly Makiha
John Tekuru appears via audio visual link in the Rotorua District Court in April. Photo / Kelly Makiha
Warning: This article contains distressing content.
A man who took a 3-year-old with the intent to rape her jumped a Rotorua early childhood centre’s fence and plucked her unnoticed from the playing yard.
Details around how 19-year-old John Tekuru took the girl have been revealed in a police summary offacts released to the Rotorua Daily Post.
In the Rotorua District Court this week, Tekuru admitted unlawfully taking the girl with intent to have sexual connection with her.
The name of the early childhood centre is permanently suppressed to protect the girl’s identity.
A spokesperson from the centre told the Rotorua Daily Post it was a “devastating situation” and it had reviewed its policies and procedures.
How it unfolded
The 3-year-old was at the centre on March 10 when Tekuru, who did not know her but lived nearby, approached the property about 9.30am, the police summary said.
Tekuru was wearing gumboots, a backpack, trackpants and a large jacket.
The summary said he perched on top of the fence under shrubs and looked into the centre’s grounds for about a minute before climbing back down the fence and wandering away.
CCTV footage showed he returned to the fence at 9.39am, climbed over and entered the centre’s grounds.
He went to the sandpit area near where children were playing and grabbed a ball and threw it over the fence, before jumping back over.
Under the cover of shrubs, he removed his gumboots, backpack, jacket and trackpants.
He loitered by the fence, occasionally peeping over it into the centre yard and continuing to look around behind him.
After several minutes, he climbed over the fence again.
John Tekuru appeared at Rotorua District Court this week. Photo / NZME
He picked up the 3-year-old girl and carried her to the fence in an area covered by shrubbery, and dropped her over.
CCTV footage showed Tekuru climbed back over the fence and dropped down next to the girl at 10.47am.
Police have asked the court to add him to the child sex offender register at sentencing.
Tekuru was remanded in custody to reappear for sentencing on January 23, 2026.
The charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.
What the centre says
A spokesperson from the early childhood centre said they welcomed this week’s guilty plea as it meant those involved would not have to relive the ordeal through a trial.
“This was a devastating situation that has deeply impacted all involved, including our kaimahi (staff).”
The spokesperson said it had reviewed its policies and procedures.
“We have strong policies and procedures in place to keep tamariki, whānau and kaimahi safe, but we can’t predict or control the behaviour of members of the public outside our premises.”
The spokesperson said the centre was fully staffed at the time, with appropriate staff-to-child ratios inside and outside.
The centre’s perimeter fencing was compliant with Ministry of Education regulations.
What the ministry says
Ministry of Education Central acting deputy security Tracey Turner said it understood the distress the incident caused the child and her whānau.
“We take incidents of this nature extremely seriously. Our role is to make sure that all licensed early learning services provide safe environments for children. Where risks to children’s health and safety are identified, we act swiftly and decisively.”
Following the incident, the ministry conducted a full investigation to assess whether the service met its regulatory obligations under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008.
Turner said no breaches of those regulations were identified relating to the incident.
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.
