KEY POINTS:
Police believe that structural alterations made to a gate at a West Auckland kohanga reo played a big role in the death of a 3-year-old boy.
But the boy's mother says she wants answers rather than a vendetta against those responsible.
Louis Schmidt-Peke was playing at the Hoani Waititi Marae last June when he was fatally struck by the falling kohanga gate.
People who saw the tragedy rushed to the boy's aid but were unable to save him.
Marae members wanted to know why the gate, installed in April the previous year, collapsed.
Yesterday police in part answered that question after releasing evidence that suggested the gate was in a defective state.
Detective Sergeant Peter Litherland said the evidence strongly supported the proposition that significant struc-tural alterations had been made to the gate.
Those alterations departed from the original design and Mr Litherland said he believed they contributed in a "significant way" to Louis' death.
Despite the new evidence Louis' mother, Helen Schmidt-Peke, told the Herald she was not looking too far ahead.
"We don't really know enough and until they can come through with everything I probably know as much as you know," she said.
"I just think that's when I might have a reaction but I'm just letting police do their work until such a time when they've got something [more] to give us."
Mrs Schmidt-Peke said the whanau's first Christmas and New Year without their son was difficult butthey had received a lot of supportfrom extended whanau and Hoani Waititi Marae, where her other children will continue to attend school this year.
She said Louis was "just your typical 3-year-old boy".
"He was a good little boy, a beautiful boy who was adventurous and had his whole life in front of him."
Forensic evidence suggests the alterations occurred after the gates were powder coated but could have taken place before, during or after installation.
Police, who are still investigating the case, are now appealingto the public for information about the gates, specifically the design alterations.
They would also like to hear from anyone who has photographs of the gates taken during or soon after they were installed in April 2006.
Anyone with information should contact Detective Sergeant Peter Litherland of the Waitakere CIB on ph (09) 839 0627
