Caregiver says death could have been prevented

The death of 17 year old Liam Ashley could have been prevented if there were better youth facilities available, a west Auckland Child Youth & Family caregiver says.

A 25 year old Onehunga concrete worker has been charged with Ashley's murder, after he was assaulted in the back of a prison van while en route to the Auckland Central Remand Prison on August 24. He died in hospital the next day.

Samoan boxing trainer Earl Opetaia, 45, a Child Youth & Family-approved caregiver, who cared for Ashley on and off over a two year period told the Sunday Star-Times youths could become lost in the system, being sent to a dozen or more different homes, and often their parents had no idea where they were as CYF "keeps them in the dark"

He said Ashley, like most of the teenagers he looks after, "had bounced" from place to place, including a stint at Halswell Residential College in Christchurch.

Meanwhile Chubb security may lose its contract or face hefty financial penalties after the murder.

Chubb NZ's contract with the Department of Corrections to escort prisoners is shaky, the Herald on Sunday reported.

Five separate investigations are underway into the teen's death.

In Chubb NZ's other contracts with Corrections there is a termination clause if a serious breach of contract is found to have been committed.

Chubb departing general manager John Cleary declined to say whether their contract was in jeopardy.

He said, however, the two Chubb employees who were escorting Ashley at the time had returned to work after receiving counselling.

Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor yesterday also declined to discuss whether Chubb's contract was on the line.

Mr O'Connor earlier said the contract with the Auckland region had been in place since 1998, and there had been roughly 220,000 prisoners transported.

"Thankfully we haven't had an incident like this before ," he said.

Mr O'Connor said the contract with Chubb specified a level of protection for youths, and the separation of youths from adult prisoners should occur "in all instances".

On August 28 he issued a directive prohibiting the transportation of youths under 18 in the same compartment as adult prisoners.

- NZPA