This is a sad image for other countries to have of New Zealand - we
used to be known for being a caring society:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3618883/Homeless-parents-living-16-day-old-baby-fear-taken-child-services-New-Zealand.html
Homeless parents say they would rather live on the street with their
newborn daughter than 'have authorities take her away'
Homeless mother kept baby secret out of fear government would take her
The New Zealand mother did not tell Housing NZ she had a 16-day-old
girl
'I want her to be able to grow to have somewhere to belong,' the mum
said
The girl, Mereana, has been sleeping rough with her family since birth
By LIAM QUINN FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA
PUBLISHED: 09:26 EST, 1 June 2016 | UPDATED: 09:46 EST, 1 June 2016
A homeless mother refused to tell authorities she had a 16-day-old
baby when applying for government housing because she feared her
daughter would be taken away.
The young mother, who chose to remain anonymous, said she and her
family has been 'sleeping rough' and living out of a car for almost
two years around Whakatane, a town in the eastern bay region of New
Zealand's north island.
'I want her to be able to grow to nourish to have somewhere to
belong,' Mereana's mother told One News NZ.
A homeless mother refused to tell authorities she had a 16-day-old
baby (pictured) when applying for government housing because she
feared her daughter would be taken away
A homeless mother refused to tell authorities she had a 16-day-old
baby (pictured) when applying for government housing because she
feared her daughter would be taken away
'The car that we did have got impounded so we were just camping out in
a tent in Whakatane but we'd get stopped by the police, we'd get moved
on by the police saying "this is a public place not a camping
ground".'
The mother added she recently approached Housing New Zealand for
assistance, but refused to tell them about her daughter because she
feared Child Youth and Family services would take her child.
It was revealed on Tuesday the mum and her 16-day-old daughter,
Mereana, had been staying at the Te Puea Memorial Marae at Mangere
Bridge in South Auckland.
A worker at the marae said the mother made the trip because she 'had
nowhere else' to go, according to the NZ Herald.
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