Coroner Mary-Anne Borrowdale has condemned systemic failings by Oranga Tamariki and police following the 2019 murder of 10-month-old CJ White by his father, David Sinclair, who was high on methamphetamine.
Despite repeated pleas from CJ’s mother, Laura White, and grandparents, government agencies failed to act decisively to remove the baby from Sinclair’s care, dismissing warning signs such as chemical smells, drug use, and erratic behaviour.
Staff shortages, inexperience, and poor record-keeping compounded the inaction, while police minimised the family’s concerns and failed to protect Laura as an informant.
A Plunket nurse visited David Sinclair’s home with CJ on 12 June 2019, after the mother raised concerns. The nurse reported that CJ appeared to be doing well physically but noticed a strong chemical smell and that Sinclair was fidgety and talking quickly. She passed this information on to Oranga Tamariki.
Despite this red flag, Oranga Tamariki’s follow-up was inadequate. Two inexperienced social workers visited the home on 21 June, but they accepted Sinclair’s explanation that the smell was from spilled petrol, failing to press further or require a drug test. The coroner highlighted this as an example of insufficient “professional curiosity,” showing that Plunket’s alert should have triggered stronger protective action but instead was effectively dismissed.
When Laura White and her parents went to Hokitika Police Station in June 2019, they reported David Sinclair’s meth use and fears for CJ’s safety. Instead of escalating, a watchhouse officer laughed that “the whole town knows he smokes meth” and told Laura Sinclair had as many rights to CJ as she did. Police did not properly record these concerns, despite already holding historic informant reports linking Sinclair to drug use, dealing, and gangs.
Borrowdale’s report found CJ’s death resulted from a breakdown of statutory responsibilities, where those charged with safeguarding children neglected their duty, leaving a vulnerable infant fatally exposed.
