An Auckland father whose newborn was kidnapped by their nanny last year has spoken out against what he says are inadequate sentences handed down to her and an accomplice.
The nanny, Nadene Faye Manukau-Togiavalu, was today sentenced to three years jail at the Auckland District Court for kidnapping the 11-day old girl from her home in Epsom in August 2017.
Her accomplice, teenage cousin Sydnee Shaunna Toulapapa, was discharged without conviction.
Manukau-Togiavalu had pretended she was pregnant for nine months by wearing a fake pregnancy belly and held a baby shower to convince the family she was having a child.
She then coerced Toulapapa to creep into the Epsom home wearing a balaclava and steal the baby.
The baby was found safe after about six hours following a thorough police search effort.
The baby's father, whose identity can't be revealed, described the sentences as "troubling" and "disappointing".
"The fine men and women in the New Zealand Police do amazing work, and yet the system as it stands is of most benefit to the criminals.
"What protection is there in the justice system for parents and their young children? How do we keep them safe when there is such little consequence for committing serious crimes?
"The sentence given to Nadene Manukau Togiavalu is disappointing and the discharge without conviction of Sydnee Toulapapa is deeply troubling. These two individuals will soon be back within your community, amongst your children."
Read his full statement:
"Nearly 11 months ago our lives were turned upside down by Nadene Manukau Togiavalu and her stoop Sydnee Toulapapa.
"They meticulously planned and prepared over several months to kidnap our newborn child. We invited Nadene into our home to help care for our baby daughter. We trusted the nanny agency that found and recommended her. And in return we were plunged into hell for the longest 7 hours of our lives.
"There is nothing more reprehensible than what those two did that day. Taking a defenseless and vulnerable 11-day old baby from her parents. And throughout the ordeal, being able to end it at any time, they chose to continue the charade that they knew nothing of her whereabouts.
"If it wasn’t for the amazing work of the New Zealand Police, god knows what could have happened, how long she would have been away from us and what they would have done to her.
"We cannot describe our gratitude for the actions of the Police that day, their efforts, smarts, hard work, and initiative that saw our precious baby girl returned to us. We will forever be in their debt for the duty they served us that day.
"The sentence handed down today by Justice Mathers to Nadene Manukau Togiavalu for kidnapping our baby, brings some small measure of relief to us, that the seriousness of her violation of our family unit has been acknowledged, at least in part. No sentence will ever remove from us the trauma that Nadene caused our family, but it is of some comfort to know that the sentencing at least reflects at some level, the depth of evil she committed against us and others.
"Prior to this we were shocked and dismayed to receive the ruling from Justice Woodhouse who discharged Sydnee without conviction. This is appalling. This effectively says to every New Zealand parent that their children are not safe.
"These two disturbed people broke into our home, staged a burglary, and kidnapped a newborn baby. Never once have either of them shown any genuine remorse.
"The process since our baby was taken has taken nearly a year to be resolved through the Courts, and if it was not for the tireless efforts of the Police Detectives and Crown Law team we would have given up a long time ago.
"The fine men and women in the New Zealand Police do amazing work, and yet the system as it stands is of most benefit to the criminals. What protection is there in the justice system for parents and their young children? How do we keep them safe when there is such little consequence for committing serious crimes?
"The sentence given to Nadene Manukau Togiavalu is disappointing and the discharge without conviction of Sydnee Toulapapa is deeply troubling. These two individuals will soon be back within your community, amongst your children."
SHARE ME