http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=124&objectid=10419776&pnum=0
NZ Herald
January 18 2007
Little girl suffered horrific attack, say police
NZPA
Police investigating the death of a
10-year-old Christchurch girl confirmed today she had suffered an "horrific" sexual attack before she was
suffocated.
Zimbabwe immigrant Charlene Makaza
was found in her bed having difficulty breathing on January 6 and died early
the following morning without regaining consciousness.
Police launched a homicide
investigation after being alerted to her injuries by hospital authorities.
After two post mortem examinations, they "strongly" believe Charlene
was suffocated.
Today they released more details
about her death to clarify "misinformation and speculation in the
community".
Detective Inspector Malcolm
Johnston, heading the homicide investigation, said some people within the
Zimbabwean community in Christchurch believed Charlene had died of natural
causes.
Police wanted to correct that
impression in the hope that it would generate co-operation from people they
wished to interview.
Mr Johnston said post mortem
examinations had revealed Charlene had serious injuries consistent with a
violent sexual assault.
"The injuries were recent and
police strongly believe they had been inflicted around the time of her apparent
suffocation," he said.
A number of people police wished to
speak to had the "misconception" that Charlene had died of natural
causes which was making it "very difficult" to conduct the homicide
investigation.
"We want to make very, very
clear to those people that that is not the case and we
need their co-operation.
"This is a highly suspicious
death and we owe it to Charlene to get to the bottom of it," Mr Johnston
said.
He also revealed that Charlene's
bedding and clothes had been washed after her family had been informed by
doctors that a sexual assault had taken place. An item of clothing had been
discarded in rubbish, but had been retrieved by police.
Charlene lived with her adoptive
aunt and uncle, her 12-year-old sister and two cousins aged 20 and 24. She and
her sister emigrated from Zimbabwe about two years ago after the death of their
parents some years earlier.
Child Youth and Family has taken the 12-year-old into care since Charlene's death.
Police are concentrating their
inquiries on family members who were present when Charlene was found
incapacitated.
Mr Johnston said a week-long scene
examination at the two-storey weatherboard house in Hollyford
Ave, Bryndwr, had "not been made any
easier" by the fact her bedding and clothing had been washed.
But he said police did not
"read anything sinister" into the fact the family had cleaned up the
bedding -- "her clothes and their clothes". Charlene had soiled
herself.
The child's family was co-operating
with the police inquiries and individual members had been interviewed in the
presence of lawyers.
The family has engaged Christchurch
lawyer Susan Lewis to protect their interests.
Mr Johnston declined to elaborate on
Charlene's sexual injuries, but said he doubted she'd been raped.
"She suffered an horrific injury as a result of a sexual attack," he
said.
Mr Johnston reiterated that police
were satisfied there was no evidence of an intruder in the house when Charlene
was attacked. All members of her adoptive family were present.
"So obviously we do have to
start with the family members first.
"I must stress we are keeping
an open mind."
From speaking to family members,
police were "no further ahead" in establishing how she received her
injuries.
Mr Johnston said police had
interviewed many members of the Zimbabwe community and friends of the family.
"We've got no specific
suspects," he said.
Mr Johnston said police were
awaiting DNA results and toxicology results from the two post mortem
examinations. Toxicology results were not expected for between four to six
weeks. DNA analysis could take two to four weeks.
He said he hoped the family would
continue co-operating with the homicide investigation.
"We just hope we can discover
and unravel this mystery, because at the moment it is an absolute mystery as to
how Charlene got those injuries."