Please forgive us, Kiwis beg girl

BLAIR ENSOR

A sense of shame runs strongly through Kiwi messages to the five-year-old girl savagely attacked in a Turangi campground.

"Most of the messages are saying please forgive us," Waikato Hospital spokeswoman Mary Anne Gill revealed yesterday as the girl left hospital, smiling and hugging nurses as she went.

Her European family plan to complete their New Zealand holiday, and police believe she may never remember anything about the sexually motivated attack because of her "heart-wrenching" injuries.

Mrs Gill said the family continued to receive "amazing" emails of support.

In one instance an 11-year-old boy who holidayed in Turangi regularly donated $30 from his birthday fund when he heard about the attack. There were many similar stories and the family took time to read each message, she said.

"The theme running through is a sense of shame ... that this has happened in New Zealand .. This is not normal for New Zealand."

If the family's view of New Zealand was tarnished immediately after the attack, it wasn't now, she said.

"They see it very much as an isolated incident."

The girl, believed to be from Belgium, was asleep with her 3-year-old brother in a caravan at Club Habitat holiday park when she was attacked between 10.10pm and 10.40pm last Wednesday.

She needed four hours of surgery for injuries to her head, face and body.

Mrs Gill said the girl had recovered "outstandingly well" and was discharged yesterday.

"Before she left the ward she was happy and actually hugged some of the nurses. It was just really nice. She's been smiling pretty much the last day or so she was there."

The family were in a "very positive frame of mind" and planned to continue their holiday in New Zealand, Mrs Gill said.

The news of the girl's recovery came as Detective Inspector Mark Loper told The Dominion Post police had not interviewed her – and did not plan to do so soon.

"Because of her injuries she may not remember anything.

"For us it will depend on whether she tells somebody else."

While she was steadily improving, her welfare still took priority over a formal interview. "We are not going to try and traumatise her."

Mr Loper revealed the police investigation focused on a list of 15 to 20 people who had been nominated by the public and police.

Most were from the North Island and some had already been interviewed by police.

Police had recovered items of interest to the investigation from the scene of the attack and further afield, but he would not give details.

"Our team is focused. We are pretty confident we will get a result at some stage."

He could not say whether an arrest was imminent.

Taupo district mayor Rick Cooper said he believed it was unlikely the attacker was from Turangi.

"If it was a local I'm sure we would know by now.

"The hardest of criminals think this crime is abhorrent. They would grass their brothers on this. This guy is sick. We have to get him.

"We would all like it put to bed. It's frustrating for everybody, including the police."

Mr Cooper said he did not think the tourist town's reputation had suffered because of the incident.

"I think most people accept it's a pretty isolated incident that could have happened anywhere."

Police are asking anyone with information to contact Taupo station on 073786060 or Crimestoppers on 0800555111.