Toakase Finau, 29, was killed by her estranged partner in March 2021. Photo: supplied
Warning: This story discusses details of suicide and domestic violence. A list of helplines is available at the bottom of the page.
A mother-of-four's death in a murder-suicide after years of abuse from her partner is a "tragic example" of New Zealand's intimate partner violence epidemic, a Coroner says.
Coroner Alison Mills released her findings into the death of Toakase Finau, 29, and her estranged partner Viliami Latu, 31, who died at an address on McNally Rd in Pukekohe in March 2021.
Finau was found dead in the boot of her own car by police on 10 March, 2021 when they were carrying out a routine bail check on Latu who was living at the house with his brother's family.
Latu himself was found nearby by his niece and he died at Middlemore Hospital two days later.
A note was found in his pocket, written in Tongan, which said: "Kase, it's [she's] in the boot of the car, love you heaps."
His death was ruled a suicide by the Coroner.
At the time of the deaths, Latu had been on electronically monitored bail for a previous assault on Finau.
The pair had been married for a about a decade, the Coroner noted, with reports of abuse throughout.
Oranga Tamariki, Women's Refuge and police were all involved with the family at some point, the Coroner said, but within the final year Latu's abuse towards Finau had "escalated".
A final protection order had been granted to Finau, prohibiting Latu from contacting her in any way, almost two weeks before he strangled her to death.
While the abuse had been going on for several years, Coroner Mills said the extent was hidden from family members for years.
Oranga Tamariki was one of many agencies involved with the family. Photo: RNZ / Dom Thomas
Finau's sister said in 2016, she had moved to Christchurch to try and get away from Latu, but he ended up moving there too.
In 2019, Finau went to the Battered Women's Trust in Christchurch and stayed in a safe house for three days. A risk assessment found she had been physically, sexually and psychologically abused, the Coroner said.
The next year she moved back to Auckland and Latu followed a month later. They moved into a home together with their children.
A few months later, Finau's sister said she saw Latu shouting at and threatening her sister.
He had tried to strangle Finau with his hands, and Finau was really scared, she told the Coroner.
A few months later during a fight, Finau called her dad and he heard Latu say he would hit her and he was "going to kill her."
Her dad drove straight to the home and found the glass door was smashed and Finau had been "given a hiding."
Latu was arrested and taken into custody before being granted electronically monitored bail.
The Coroner said he blamed Finau for the fight.
Latu's release on bail shortly before he killed Finau had not been "unreasonable", she said.
"Comparatively to many before the courts, Viliami did not have significant criminal history, and the reported violence was not extensive."
"EM with a 24-hour curfew should have been sufficiently robust to prevent Viliami from re-offending against Toakase. Again, this shows the complex nature of intimate partner violence."
Finau appeared to visit the Pukekohe home Latu was staying at a number of times in the days before her death with their children, before she was killed between 9 March and 10 March.
"Toakase should not be criticised or blamed for her continued to contact with Viliami.
"Toakase was the victim in this case and had been living under his coercive control for many years."
No easy fix
Coroner Mills said New Zealand had an unacceptably high level of intimate partner violence.
"We have among the highest reported rates of family and sexual violence in the developed world.
"There is no easy fix to this problem."
The deaths were an example of why a whole government approach was needed to try and deal with family violence.
"This is an example of the consequences of gaps in services," she said.
In the year before the deaths there had been an attempt to bring the agencies involved with the family together.
Coroner Mills said it was difficult to make a specific recommendation to prevent similar deaths in the future as domestic violence situations were "complex".
She directed her findings be sent to Te Puna Aonui, a venture formed to improve the government approach to family and sexual violence, to the Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual violence.
"Police, the justice system, the Department of Corrections, Oranga Tamariki, housing and health providers all interacted with this whānau and had concerns about family harm yet failed to prevent these tragic deaths."
[h ] Where to get help for family violence:
Women's Refuge:(0800 733 843
It's Not OK 0800 456 450
Shine: 0508 744 633
Victim Support: 0800 842 846
HELP Call 24/7 (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): 04 801 6655 - push 0 at the menu
The National Network of Family Violence Services NZ has information on specialist family violence agencies.
Fale Pasifika Women's Refuge 24/7 Crisis Line 0800 733 843
Fonua Ola 0800 436 862
Vaka Tautua 0800 825 282
