MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
3 February 2009

No sentence is enough to bring Nia back

Today, those responsible for the death of Nia Glassie in Rotorua will be sentenced.

Anthea Simcock, CEO and founder of CPS, New Zealands child protection specialist organisation says “No sentence is enough to bring Nia back.”

“Of course we hope that Nia’s killers receive a sentence in keeping with the horrific and cruel way that this poor girl lost her life. However, CPS’ biggest hope is that Nia did not die in vain.” Mrs Simcock hopes that the publicity surrounding this case will give people the wake up call they need to realise that everyone has a responsibility to keep children safe.

Some of the things that Nia suffered were so appalling that this case even shocked those who have had a lifetime of experience in this field. So for the general public, it was almost too much to comprehend that people could do these things to another human being. This case has brought to the attention of the New Zealand public that these things ARE happening in New Zealand. And as a nation we must say “stop”.

Children cannot usually seek help for themselves. They are vulnerable and rely on adults to keep them safe from abuse. Yet most adults overlook or don’t see the signs that children give when they are in trouble. Or they do see the signs but have no idea what to do.

CPS is a national charitable trust dedicated to the protection of children and young people. For 14 years, CPS has been providing the fence at the top of the cliff, educating and empowering adults to recognise when a child is in need, and take ACTION to protect that child.

Stopping tragedies like these takes courage. New Zealanders need to talk to someone about what they are seeing, and just keep talking until the abuse stops. – Just keep talking….”

ENDS

© Scoop Media