No concerns raised about Moko's home before he died, CYF manager tells inquest

Moko Rangitoheriri became a household name after he died in 2015.

A senior Child Youth and Family manager says no concerns were ever raised about the home where Moko Rangitoheriri was living before he died.

The social worker met with Tania Shailer and another social worker, who worked at the Maori Women's Refuge, on July 29, 2015.

Less than two weeks later, Moko was dead.

He and his sister were living with Shailer because their mother, Nicola Dally-Paki, was struggling to cope and had nowhere for them to live.

The siblings' brother was in Starship children's hospital and Dally-Paki was escaping a violent relationship.

The social worker, who is now retired, has name suppression in the inquest hearing at the Rotorua District Court.

She said the meeting with Shailer and the social worker on July 29, 2015 was about Shailer's concerns about the children returning to Dally-Paki's care.

"Ms Shailer said she did not have any reservations about looking after the children, right now, but could not commit to helping the children for too much longer," said the social worker.

Following the meeting, the social worker made phone calls to confirm Dally-Paki was booked in to go to the Grey Lynn Women's Refuge in Auckland. She also confirmed Moko's brother was in Starship Hospital and then made a formal "Report of Concern" to CYF.

This was about concerns about Dally-Paki's ability to adequately care for the children and the relationship with her former partner, Karauna Rangitoheriri.

However, the social worker said no concerns were raised at the July 29 meeting about Tania Shailer's ability to cope with Moko, his sister and Shailer's four young children of her own.

"During the entire conversation Ms Shailer did not raise any current in-house domestic or child care issues or showed signs of not being able to cope with two extra children in the home."

This conflicts with the evidence of the Maori Women's Refuge worker, who was "100 per cent" certain that Shailer did tell the social worker she was not coping.

Under cross-examination from John Munro, the lawyer representing Moko's father, the CYF social worker denied there was any suggestion Shailer was struggling to deal with six children.

"There was nothing mentioned about 'not coping'," said the social worker. "Her main concern was Ms Dally-Paki was coming to pick up her children in two weeks' time."

Marama said that in hindsight, Shailer was a convincing liar and "actress".

On one hand, Shailer was expressing concerns about Dally-Paki's ability as a mother, while on the other, Shailer and her partner David Haerewa were inflicting horrific injuries on Moko, just 3 years old, over a two month period.