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RYAN ANDERSON / Stuff
Police at a home in Manurewa, south Auckland, on the day Poseidyn Hemopo Pickering died at Starship Children’s Hospital.
Oranga Tamariki received an anonymous notice expressing concern for the care of a baby several weeks before he sustained intentional head injuries and died.
Meanwhile, the detective leading the homicide investigation into the death of Poseidyn Hemopo Pickering says some of the boy’s whānau refuse to cooperate with the police.
Stuff He also learned that the police seized cell phones belonging to people at the home in Manurewa, south Auckland, where the 10-month-old boy lived.
The case parallels the unsolved homicide of baby Sofia Taueki-Jackson, who died in May. Some of her whānau also refuse to cooperate with Counties Manukau detectives, and she also suffered fatal head injuries.
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Poseidyn was transferred from the home on William Ave to Starship Children’s Hospital on September 5.
He succumbed to his injuries the next day.
Police have yet to make any arrests.
RYAN ANDERSON / Stuff
A police car outside the William Ave property shortly after the death.
In a statement Monday, Oranga Tamariki Deputy CEO Glynis Sandland said that shortly before Poseidyn’s death, the agency received an anonymous report of concern and became involved with the family.
“We were investigating these concerns and working with the family to gather more information.”
It is understood that Poseidyn had at least one older brother.
Sandland said other children on the William Ave property were in the care of a larger family and there was support to keep them safe.
Detective Sergeant Major Kevin Tiernan of the Manukau Counties Criminal Investigation Branch said he wanted to recognize the people in the baby’s whānau who had assisted investigators.
But a small group was choosing not to cooperate, he said.
“This is disappointing for the police and I urge anyone who is approached in this investigation to consider speaking with us, so that we can establish what exactly happened.”
Poseidyn’s death on Starship was the result of intentionally inflicted head injuries, Tiernan said.
He appealed to those with information about what happened to speak to the police.
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The William Ave property has been forensically examined by the police. Other whānau live on a neighboring property.
Poseidyn’s father, Anthony Pickering, declined to comment when approached StuffBut he said he would be “happy” to do so when the police finished their investigation.
Other whānau on the William Ave property, some of whom had their cell phones seized by police, did not want to speak to the media.
The death of 14-month-old Sofia 15 minutes up the street in Flat Bush on May 23 remains the subject of an active police investigation. No arrests have been made.
Chris McKeen / Stuff
Police launched a homicide investigation and headed to a state home in Clover Park, Auckland, on Tuesday May 26 after Sofia Taueki-Jackson’s death the previous Saturday night.
Detective Inspector Tofilau Fa’amanuia Va’aelua said Friday that anyone who cares about the little boy should speak up.
Va’aelua said the investigation established that Sofia died of a “catastrophic head injury” deliberately inflicted.
Poseidyn is the third boy aged 14 and under to die under suspicious circumstances in South Auckland this year, and the sixth nationally.
On average, nine children die in suspicious or homicidal circumstances in New Zealand each year, according to The Homicide Report, an investigation of Stuff data.
Anyone with information about the deaths of Poseidyn or Sofia could call the police on 09 261 1321, line 105 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
