A Coroner has rebuked a disability service for failing to promptly address a mother’s safety concerns for her autistic, non-verbal son, who tragically drowned in a pond at his rural Gisborne home.
Five-year-old Khyzah Tawhai Raukaponga DeLaCroix disappeared from his residence at Mangawehi Station in the Hangaroa district of Gisborne on August 11 last year.
This sparked an extensive search involving numerous local volunteers, specialized search teams, rescue dogs, and a helicopter.
Coroner Meenal Duggal determined that Khyzah’s death was accidental, resulting from drowning in a large pond approximately 180 meters from his house.
She criticized the disability service Your Way Kia Roha for not taking immediate action following a meeting where Khyzah’s mother requested safety locks on windows and doors.
The search
Khyzah, diagnosed with autism and non-verbal, lacked a typical sense of danger, safety, or pain, according to Coroner Duggal.
Referred to Your Way Kia Roha by his pediatrician, a service contracted by the Ministry of Social Development, Khyzah had a tendency to wander and was drawn to water and a shed where he enjoyed playing among stored items.
He vanished while watching a movie at 2 pm on August 11, with his mother realizing his absence shortly after he left the house.
Police were alerted at 4 pm, and a Land Search and Rescue operation commenced around 5.30 pm. Khyzah’s body was discovered in the pond by the national dive squad the following day.
Coroner Duggal’s report highlighted multiple accessible routes from the house to the pond for a proficient climber like Khyzah.
‘Mother’s safety concerns required urgent action’
The Coroner emphasized the importance of addressing the mother’s safety worries promptly, particularly her request for locks on windows and doors.
While Your Way Kia Roha acknowledged the need for a more proactive approach, the organization stated that it had implemented measures to enhance compliance and training.
The Coroner endorsed these steps and acknowledged the organization’s efforts to strengthen safeguards and training.
Your Way Kia Roha CEO Megan Thomas expressed condolences to Khyzah’s family and reiterated the organization’s commitment to learning from the incident and improving processes to provide better care for families.
