Mum refuses to let mean girls ruin Gabi’s birthday.
Her birthday party looked to be in jeopardy earlier in the week but, thanks to a number of fairy godmothers, Gabi Barnett's celebration went ahead.
The 10-year-old had her nails painted, her hair done, was sent so many gifts she's given a number away, and "fairies and mermaids" turned up, mum Toni Barnett told the Herald tonight.
The Whanganui schoolgirl hit the headlines and caused a stir on social media when her mother and another woman appealed for help to make her birthday something special with a party.
Toni Barnett had said that daughter Gabi suffered from epilepsy and that girls had told her they wouldn't go to her birthday party because she was a "retard".
A group of "fairy godmothers" arrive at 10-year-old Gabi Barnett's birthday celebration in Whanganui. Photo / Stuart Munro
A Facebook page was set up sharing the story and it went viral with messages of support flooding in from around the world.
There were also presents being sent by strangers, videos of birthday good wishes and cards mailed from as far as Britain and the United States.
Even Whanganui mayor Hamish McDouall sent a birthday message.
Gabi Barnett had her nails painted, her hair done and was sent so many gifts she's given a number away, mum Toni Barnett told the Herald tonight. Photo / Sieska Verdonk
But things took a turn and Gabi's mother was accused of running a scam, which she has denied.
NZME understands that one mother politely declined the invitation on her daughter's behalf and sent a gift instead, as she had concerns for the Barnett "home environment".
Barnett told the Herald tonight she was aware of people making comments about her home environment and admitted there had been troubles in her family life.
They included CYF involvement, and she said she had been a victim of assault - but these issues were in the past.
"I'm not a bad person ... it doesn't make me a bad parent."
She said CYF had also approved her as being the caregiver for her daughter.
Barnett also admitted she had a number of different names, but said that was because she didn't like her first name, Toni, and also because a former partner had once spread rumours about her.
John Campbell said on on Checkpoint he'd discovered that "nobody was coming to the party because no invitations had been sent out".
He spoke to an unnamed woman he said had set up the Facebook page.
"From what I understand, a lot of the story isn't true," the woman said.
"There was no invitations sent. No invitations were sent for a party. She wasn't called a retard for giving out invitations."
Mum Toni Barnett with some of the presents sent by strangers. Photo / Sieska Verdonk
But Barnett said her initial comments had been misinterpreted and she'd never sent physical invitations, because Gabi's classmates had said they wouldn't come anyway.
"Gabi went to school and said; 'If I give invites who would come to my party?'. They said; 'Not us, you are a retard.
"Everything I've said I can stack up," she said.
"I just wanted to do a decent birthday for my daughter."
She stood by her claims that her daughter was being bullied.
Because of security concerns due to the recent criticism Barnett moved today's party, from where it was originally planned to be held, to a family house.
"If it was about gifts and money why would she be giving these away."
A statement by Gabi's school's board of trustees this week said it was not its policy to talk about or identify individual students but there were "no unresolved issues before the board".
The board had a bullying policy in line with the latest recommendations of the Ministry of Education.
"When issues do occur, the school follows up all concerns and uses a restorative process.
"The school will be participating in the national Pink Shirt Day on the 26th of May and the focus being taught and rewarded is to be an upstander: be able to stand up for yourself or a mate and be able to seek help when you need it."
