Mother's pleas went unanswered before 5-year-old son went missing
Five-year-old Khyzah Tawhai Raukaponga DeLaCroix went missing from his Gisborne home on August 11, 2024. His body was later found in a nearby pond after an extensive search involving local volunteers, rescue teams, and a helicopter. The tragedy has raised concerns over safety measures for vulnerable children after a coroner criticised delays in addressing his mother’s warnings.
Khyzah, who was autistic, non-verbal, and had developmental delays, wandered from his home while his mother briefly left him unattended to shower. Within minutes, he had left the house and headed towards a large pond roughly 180 metres away. The area had multiple accessible routes for a child who, according to Coroner Meenal Duggal’s report, was skilled at climbing but lacked a typical understanding of danger.
The search for Khyzah began immediately after his disappearance, with local residents, specialist teams, rescue dogs, and a helicopter joining the effort. His body was discovered the following afternoon, around 3.40 pm, submerged in the algae-covered pond. Investigations confirmed he had drowned on the day he went missing.
Months before the tragedy, Khyzah’s mother had contacted disability service Your Way Kia Roha, expressing urgent concerns about his safety. She requested locks on windows and doors to prevent him from leaving unsupervised. However, the service—bound by an agreement with the Ministry of Social Development—failed to act promptly. Coroner Duggal later criticised the organisation for not addressing these risks proactively.
The delays stemmed from procedural hurdles: risk assessments, funding approvals, tenancy rules, and legal protocols all slowed the installation of basic security measures. Despite the mother’s repeated warnings, the necessary changes were never made before Khyzah’s death.
The coroner’s findings highlighted systemic failures in responding to a vulnerable child’s needs. Khyzah’s death occurred after he accessed an unsecured pond near his home, a risk his mother had foreseen. The case has since prompted scrutiny of how support services handle urgent safety concerns for children with disabilities.
