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Nevaeh Ager was killed by her father, Aaron Izett, in Little Waihi in 2019.
Police believe they may have had an opportunity to intervene prior to the murder of a two-year-old if a 111 call had been properly recorded and shared.
The Independent Authority for Police Conduct released its findings regarding the handling of an 111 call reporting concerns about the well-being of a child on Tuesday.
Nevaeh Ager’s two-year-old great-grandmother called 111 on March 20, 2019, concerned for her granddaughter’s partner, Aaron Izett, and the well-being of her great-grandson in her charge.
She was informed that the police had no power to intervene or remove Nevaeh from Maketu’s property, as she and her husband did not have custody.
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The next morning, the police received a series of calls about disturbing behavior in the same direction, leading to the discovery of Nevaeh’s body in a nearby estuary.
An IPCA investigation found that Call 111 was not handled in accordance with police policy, standard operating procedures, and good practices.
It found that the person who received the call coded the event incorrectly, gave inaccurate advice and did not record details that may have affected the police response.
The dispatchers also failed to carry out the proper checks or pass on the relevant information.
Benn Bathgate / Stuff
Aaron George Izett in the dock during the Rotorua murder trial.
“We disappointed Nevaeh and her family,” Deputy Commissioner Tusha Penny said in a statement Tuesday.
“If the information from call 111 had been properly recorded and shared, the police might have had the opportunity to intervene.
“We will never know if we could have prevented this tragic outcome, and we are deeply sorry.
“The police come to work every day to keep our communities safe, but this time, we could and should have done more.
“Police met with Nevaeh’s family yesterday to apologize in person and discuss the police response to the Authority’s findings.”
The call operator and dispatchers involved were receiving ongoing support and training to ensure they were better equipped to respond to future incidents.
The dispatchers also agreed to share their experience and lessons learned with others in the role.
Aaron Izett was found guilty of Nevaeh’s murder and is due to be sentenced in February.
