Lewis 'went looking for a shortcut'

Colin Meads was among the mourners at yesterday's service. Photo / Michael Craig

A caregiver of Lewis Munro, the intellectually disabled man who was found dead after disappearing from a group picnic on Monday in bush near Te Kuiti, believes Munro went looking for a shortcut after getting lost, but could not find his way out of the bush.

At a funeral service for the 48-year-old in Te Kuiti yesterday, Mike Reilly, who had been involved in Munro's care for the past 16 years, said reports he may have been hiding from rescuers were wrong. Reilly criticised media coverage that questioned his charge's "ability to think".

Munro, with another intellectually disabled man, Alfred Jonakait, became separated from a group of eight IHC clients being supervised by just one caregiver while on an outing in the Mangaokewa Scenic Reserve on Monday afternoon. Jonakait was found safe at 9pm that night, but a group of more than 50 searchers could not locate Lewis. His body was found in blackberry bushes near a stream on Wednesday night.

The IHC has launched an investigation into the incident, and chief executive Ralph Jones admitted in an interview with Newstalk ZB host Paul Holmes on Friday that one caregiver may not have been enough.

Suggestions were made by police that Munro, who reportedly had the mental age of a young teenager, may have been hiding from searchers if he thought he was in trouble. But Reilly said "hiding would not have been an option" for the man.

Munro would have made a "mature decision" to take a shortcut back to where he became lost, but "unfortunately the bush is unforgiving and has the ability to ensnare people".

Idea Services, which cared for Munro in Otorohanga, had been a big part of the man's life, Reilly explained, "but like all businesses, sometimes there are hiccups along the way. We will learn and keep striving to improve lives for special people with special needs".

More than 100 people attended the service for Munro, including many IHC clients and caregivers, Munro's friends and flatmates, and IHC patron Colin Meads, who has been involved with the organisation for the past 30 years.

They gathered to farewell a man who loved food, listening to music, and was a keen rugby supporter - he even had an All Blacks flag draped across his coffin when it was returned to Pinetree Farm in Otorohanga, his most recent home.

Munro grew up in Tokoroa, one of four children, and went to school in Hamilton. He then spent time in Tokanui Hospital, before being put into the care of the Waikato and King Country IHC services.

He lived with four flatmates, one of whom, David, spoke of the pair's good friendship. "He helped me with my cups of tea, and helped me with my lunch, and all that stuff. He was such a good friend of mine."

An aunt spoke on behalf of Lewis' father, Norman Munro, who was unable to attend the service. She also thanked searchers for their commitment to looking for her nephew over the two days he was missing.

Meads said he was pleased a full investigation was planned, but he hoped "that one caregiver [who was with them] doesn't get taken to the cleaners".