Morrinsville College death: accused murderer Freda Ellen Witehira provokes a legal attack on the body of teenage daughter Maria

A woman accused of murder will be able to keep a lock of her daughter’s hair after she sparks a legal battle between the family over how the teenager’s body should be treated.

Sixteen-year-old Tura-Maria Witehira, known as Maria, died suddenly in Morrinsville on August 23.

The Herald reported today that she was found dead on the Morrinsville College grounds.

The death sparked pleas from the school, the police and his family for students to stop spreading rumors and speculation on social media that have led to a teenager being blamed for the tragedy and in turn facing abuse. and threats.

His mother, Freda Ellen Witehira, is accused of murdering Colin Adrian Anderson in Ōtāhuhu in August last year and is in prison awaiting trial next month.

A recently released court decision says that Maria had been in the primary care of her paternal grandmother Lynne Ram since she was 18 months old and had very little contact with her mother or father, who lives in Germany.

The tumult began when Witehira, who wanted her daughter to be buried in Kaikohe according to her iwi tikanga, requested an interim court order to stop the cremation of her body.

In a teleconference with Judge Geoffrey Venning in early September, the court heard that Maria had discussed her wishes in the event of her death with Ram and did not want to be buried. They also told the court that her father supported Maria’s wish to be cremated.

Ram and his family agreed to allow Witehira a two-hour window at the funeral home to say goodbye to her daughter.

The teleconference resumed five days after the initial hearing and the court was told that Witehira was no longer opposed to cremation, but instead wanted to divide her ashes so that part of her could be buried at Kaikohe.

The Ram family said dividing Maria’s ashes was offensive and contrary to their wishes, but offered to give Witehira a lock of her hair, a photo album of her life and a video recording of her funeral. Witehira was unable to attend the service because he was in custody.

At the conclusion of the teleconference, Judge Venning ruled that Maria should be cremated and treated in accordance with her wishes and the wishes of the Ram family, who cared for the teenager for more than 14 years.

“While [Witehira] he says that he would like Tura-Maria to be buried according to the tikanga of her iwi / hapū, does not give evidence of her connection to her iwi / hapū or heritage, “the trial said.

“Freda had little or no contact and no relationship with Tura-Maria since she and Tura-Maria’s father left her with Lynne when she was a child. Additionally, Freda faces the felony charge of murder and will be tried in November this year. His custody situation makes it difficult for him to act practically in person. “

Judge Venning ordered the Ram family to uphold their offer to provide Witehira with a lock of hair, a photo album and a video of the funeral.