Police want to find a man who was seen on CCTV talking with the person accused of stabbing a 5-year-old girl in Auckland’s Myers Park during Labour Weekend, moments before the attack began.
A 20-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder and remanded in custody over the attack on October 25, and police are now looking for one witness in particular.
Detective Sergeant John de Heer said investigators had obtained CCTV footage of the man.
“Through the course of the investigation, we have obtained CCTV footage which shows a man talking with the offender just prior to the stabbing occurring,” he said.
“The man had two children with him at the time, one of which was in a pram. He was present when the offending began but left a short time afterward.”
The man was wearing blue jeans and a maroon and blue sweatshirt.
De Heer said police were not looking for anyone else.
“If this is you, police would like to hear from you. We are not seeking anyone else in connection with the investigation, but the information will assist us in preparing court proceedings.”
The appeal comes a day after the accused appeared in the Auckland High Court. He wore a black face mask and kept his head bowed, and a Mandarin interpreter translated the proceedings.
Justice Mathew Downs granted him interim name suppression on the grounds of extreme hardship linked to mental health issues. The judge ordered two reports on whether he is fit to stand trial, and set a trial date of February 8, 2028.
The girl was taken to Starship Children’s Hospital in a serious but stable condition after the attack.
In a Givealittle post, her father said she “received numerous lacerations to her head, along with injuries to two fingers.” He said the whole family was dealing with post-traumatic stress.
The accused was also taken to hospital with serious self-inflicted injuries after he was taken into custody at the scene.
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