Youth in court accused of assaulting teen who died

An 18-year-old youth may not know for another 10 days if he will face more serious charges over the death of another teen in Auckland during the weekend.

The accused appeared in Manukau District Court yesterday on an assault charge after Poaru Brother Akatapuria, 16, of Otara died in Middlemore Hospital on Sunday after a incident in Mangere on Saturday.

Detective Senior Sergeant Albie Alexander, from the Counties Manukau police, said a post mortem yesterday had yet to reveal the cause of death.

He said that could be 10 days away and until the cause of death had been determined police could not say if more serious charges, such as murder or manslaughter, could be laid.

The 18-year-old was remanded in custody yesterday to reappear again on Monday when police were expected to seek a further remand in custody to allow the results of the post mortem to be known.

Mr Akatapuria was taken to hospital after a gathering in Mangere where he had been involved in a fight.

- NZPA