Grieving family want answers after unexplained death of child sex offender in Northland prison

Kingi Hemi, 40, died in Ngawha Prison on November 20 while serving a six-year sentence for child sex offences. His death is 'unexplained'.

• A family are demanding answers after Kingi Hemi’s unexplained death at Ngawha Prison.
• They allege Hemi was bullied by his cellmate and had unusual marks on his body.
• Police are investigating, and a coroner’s inquiry is under way to determine the cause of death.

A grieving family is demanding answers from the Corrections Department following the “unexplained” death of a convicted child sex offender at Northland’s Ngawha Prison.

They claim an informant alleged Kingi Hemi had been bullied by his cellmate before his death, and he had asked to be moved to a different cell.

They also claim unusual marks were found on Hemi’s body, which a funeral home told them had undergone an “extensive” post-mortem examination before being released to the family.

Sister Serina Tuatara says her family want to know why her brother wasn’t in segregation given his offending, and whether anyone else was involved in his death.

“I want justice for my brother.”

Hemi died suddenly on November 20, but the cause of death is yet to be determined.

The Herald can reveal the 40-year-old was serving six years in jail for two attacks on children.

In one, he broke into an Auckland home after defecating in the driveway and turning off the power, then entered an 11-year-old girl’s bedroom and began licking her face before punching her when she screamed.

Another involved the sexual violation of a boy aged under 12.

Kingi Hemi, 40, died in Ngawha Prison on November 20 while serving a six-year sentence for child sex offences. His death is 'unexplained'.

Hemi – who has more than 30 convictions – grew up in Porirua but had been living in Waitara, where he has a 5-year-old daughter.

He was jailed for three years and three months in 2021 for attacking the girl and given more jail time for the sexual violation in July last year. He was declined parole in September and was due to reappear before the Parole Board in February next year.

Tuatara said prison staff told the family her brother was discovered unresponsive by his cellmate, who alerted guards.

But the family’s attempts to find out how he died had been frustrated by a lack of information, she said.

A police spokesman told the Herald they were treating Hemi’s death as unexplained.

“At this stage, we are awaiting results of forensic testing that will inform our next steps.”

Tuatara said she helped dress her brother’s body for the tangi and discovered several unusual bruises and scratches.

“My brother’s body didn’t look right,” she said.

“The funeral home said his autopsy was very, very extensive. They’ve never seen one like that before.”

Tuatara said a prison staff member told her Hemi was found about 8am.

“The cellmate was the one who alerted them to Kingi and [Corrections] were waiting for a coroner’s report.”

Desperate for answers about how he died, the family turned to social media, posting about Hemi’s death on Facebook and asking for information.

An informant contacted the family alleging Hemi had been bullied by his cellmate.

“The cellmate was threatening him,” the informant wrote. “It turns out he was asking to be moved.”

Tuatara would not reveal the identity of the tipster, saying doing so could put people at risk.

“It’s like narking, mate, and you don’t nark. Snitches get stitches.”

Kingi Hemi had been living in Waitara and has a 5-year-old daughter.

Hemi, who suffered a speech impediment, was the “baby” of the family. He loved his daughter and extended whānau.

Tuatara was concerned her brother had not been held in segregation, given the nature of his offending.

Not knowing how he died was “very hard”.

“I want to know what happened to my brother.”

A Corrections spokesman confirmed Hemi was in a double-bunked cell at the time of his death.

Prisoners could request to be segregated “at any time”.

Hemi’s death was under police investigation and may be subject to a coronial inquest, the spokesman said.

“We understand this is a difficult time for the family and our staff reached out to offer our condolences and support.”

A coroner’s spokeswoman said inquiries into Hemi’s death had just begun. It was too early to say whether the death was being investigated as a suspected suicide.

Lane Nichols is deputy head of news and a senior journalist for the New Zealand Herald with more than 20 years of experience in the industry.

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