A full assessment has been launched by health board bosses after a mental health patient on community leave is accused of murdering a mother of four in a random street stabbing.
The Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) has announced it is conducting an investigation after days of questions about how the 37-year-old man was admitted into the community.
Laisa Waka Tunidau, 52, had caught the bus home from work and was yards from her home in Cheyenne St, Sockburn, when she was attacked around 4:20 p.m. on Saturday.
CDHB CEO Dr. Peter Bramley expressed his condolences to his family.
“My thoughts are with her family and friends at this very sad time,” he said in a statement.
“I can confirm that the man charged with her murder was a patient of the DHB specialist mental health service in Hillmorton who had been on leave.
“Whenever a serious adverse event involving patients in our care arises, a full assessment is performed. A serious event assessment looks carefully at the care provided.
“I can assure the public that if there are recommendations for changes to be made as a result of our own or external review, they will be implemented.
“We continue to assist the police with their investigations and as this case is under court, it is not appropriate for us to comment further at this time.”
Tunidau, a cleaner in her 50s, had caught the bus home from work and was yards from her home in Cheyenne St, Sockburn, when she was attacked around 4:20 p.m. on Saturday.
Tunidau’s 11-year-old son has been “traumatized” after he saw emergency services try to rescue a woman outside his childhood home, unaware that it was his mother.
The small and close-knit community gathers around the father and son. They have not yet returned home, but have been given a safe place to stay.
A Giveaway page launched this week to support the family has already raised more than $50,000.
Fijian community leader and parish member Una Tikoi previously said the deadly stabbing devastated family and friends.
“The community is not happy… the community is angry with our beloved friend and mother whose life has been recklessly taken,” Tikoi said.
People are asking why the man was allowed to be in the community when he was a “sick man,” Tikoi said.
Funeral plans are still being finalized, but it is likely Tunidau will be sent back to Fiji to say goodbye to loved ones.
She has four children, three of whom live in her home country.
Malakai Waqasokolala, who knew the family well and often stayed at their home in Sockburn, rushed to Cheyenne St on Saturday after the fatal attack.
He said the grieving husband Nemani Tunidau was distraught but tried to stay strong for his children.
“I have lost a woman, his beloved,” Waqasokolala said.
“Only time will heal and with God’s blessing and God’s permission he will come through.
“He’s trying to be a very strong and supportive father figure to his son right now.”
Waqasokolala is grateful for the support of the wider Christchurch community, with stories of colleagues showing up with flowers and offering heartfelt condolences.
“That’s pretty cool isn’t it, and that’s what Christchurch is known for,” he said.
Just before the accused appeared in court, Tunidau’s adult daughter spoke in Fiji about her heartbreak at the loss of her beloved mother.
“I can’t begin to express how much I’ll miss you. There’s a huge hole in my heart and I don’t know how to handle it. I’ll always think of you, Mom.”
The man accused of stabbing Tunidau to death was granted temporary suppression of his name on Monday during a brief appearance from custody at Christchurch court.
He is due to appear before the Supreme Court in Christchurch on July 15 – and a judge has requested a report under section 38 of the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act 2003 to assess his suitability to stand trial.
The hearts of Christchurch residents go out to Tunidau’s family and friends who “were killed in such a senseless, violent attack,” said City Mayor Lianne Dalziel.
“A crime of this nature will also have a devastating impact on the community, and they too will want answers about how and why this happened.”
Canterbury District Commander Superintendent John Price said the alleged murder was “a horrific, traumatic and indiscriminate attack on an innocent person simply on his way home from work”.
The traumatic, senseless act would have a huge impact on the community as a whole and across New Zealand, he said.
“Nobody deserves this,” Price said.
-By Kurt Bayer and Anna Leask