Thousands of dollars donated by New Zealanders for Qian Xun Xue -whose father was found guilty on Saturday of murdering her mother - remains untouched, and it is uncertain whether the little girl's grandmother will accept the money.
The trust fund was set up by Qian Xun's half-sister, Grace Xue, after the little girl was abandoned by her father, Nai Yin Xue, in Melbourne and her mother was found dead in his car.
Qian Xun - dubbed Pumpkin because of the Pumpkin Patch clothing she was wearing when she was found alone in a busy railway station - now lives with her maternal grandmother, Xiaoping Liu, in China's Hunan province.
Madame Liu is reported to be unwilling to co-operate with the trust and has refused the money.
But Ethnic Affairs Minister Pansy Wong yesterday told the Herald she had spoken to Madame Liu, who had wanted to know if any conditions were attached if she took the cash.
Ms Wong said she hadn't heard back from the trust, but understood it had about $40,000 in it. The money would be kept for Qian Xun.
No one from the trust could be contacted yesterday.
On Saturday, Nai Yin Xue, 55, was found guilty in the High Court at Auckland of murdering his wife, An An Liu, in September 2007.
He strangled her with a tie and left her body in the boot of his car in Mt Roskill.
He is understood to be considering an appeal against his conviction.
A spokesman for Grace Xue, Tony Edmonds, said she hadn't been in touch with her half-sister, and hoped Madame Liu would allow them to meet.
The two half-sisters first met after Ms Xue saw Qian Xun's photo in TV news reports of her abandonment and the international hunt for their father.
She hopes she will be able to see Qian Xun again soon, but Mr Edmonds said Madame Liu would need to take the initiative.
Ms Xue didn't want to discuss her father's murder trial. But she has told friends she hasn't spoken to her father in some time.
"They didn't part on the best of terms after the lack of support when she first came to live in New Zealand," said Mr Edmonds. "That bridge wasn't mended."
Ms Xue is in Britain on business.
The murder investigation began with the abandonment of Qian Xun, the discovery of An An Liu's body in the car boot and Xue's escape to the United States, where he was seized and tied up in a daring citizens' arrest by ethnic Chinese in Atlanta, Georgia.
After the guilty verdict was read on Saturday, Xue pumped his fist in the air and shouted "disagree, disagree, disagree".
As guards dragged him away, he yelled, "I'm innocent, I'm innocent".
He will be sentenced on July 31.
Pumpkin's $40,000 left untouched
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