Marchers remember Mereana

Mereana Edmonds was one of many children remembered yesterday when hundreds of people marched through Hamilton in protest against child abuse.

Mereana, aged 6, died after being beaten, slapped, punched and kicked by her mother Belinda, who was last week jailed for five years for manslaughter.

The case - one of several high-profile child deaths in the past few months - prompted Hamilton's Parentline to organise a campaign to teach people how to recognise child abuse and what to do about it.

Part of that campaign was yesterday's march, when almost 600 people carried banners, placards, wheelbarrows full of toys, and small white coffins through the city.

Groups travelled from Tokoroa and Huntly to take tpart.

Speaking after the march, Parentline director Maxine Hodgson told the crowd they had to stop blaming the Government for horrific child abuse, which claimed an average 12 lives each year.

"If you don't speak up, no one else will. Seek out who you will talk to - church groups, schools, agencies. But don't stay silent.

"Don't assume someone else will say something."

Since Parentline began, the number of agencies able to help children and their families in Hamilton had increased from six to 120.

"There is no excuse. You can do something to stop this happening," said Maxine Hodgson.

One woman said she took part in the march because she had grown up with child abuse.

"I don't want to make an individual public statement, but I want to support Parentline.

"Hopefully this will make more people take notice of the message they are trying to get across," she said.

"Staying silent is wrong and it just means kiddies like Mereana die."