'Angel' opens home to teen

Hine Takao took a homeless teenager home. Photo / Stephen Parker

Seeing a frozen and hungry teenager trying to sleep on a bench was too much for Hine Takao to bear.

Instead of walking by, the grandmother asked if she could help and took the 14-year-old home for a shower, hot food and a chance to sleep in the warmth.

She said she would do it all over again "in a heartbeat".

"There's not many who would go out of their way to help, but I've got kids," she said.

"I would do it all again for any child. In a heartbeat. I would hope a stranger can do the same for some other kids."

While her actions have been praised, police and Child Youth and Family spokesmen have said such situations should be approached with caution.

Mrs Takao works part-time as a cleaner at Countdown Fenton St. When she finished work at 6am on Tuesday she saw the teenager curled up on a bench outside the store with a 22-year-old man keeping watch.

"I asked if they were okay and they said they had nowhere to go. I asked when was the last time they had a kai and they said Friday."

The two were not related, she said. When she offered them food and shelter at her Fordlands home Mrs Takao said the older man did not want her help but insisted she take the teenager.

"I fed him, gave him a hot drink and then he slept the whole day on my couch. He slept through my mokos running around the lounge. When he woke up he said it was the best sleep he'd had in a long time."

The boy told her his father had kicked him out of their home and he was trying to find his 17-year-old brother with a plan of hitch-hiking back to Auckland where their mother lived. Mrs Takao gave him clean clothes and her contact details.

"I couldn't just leave him there. I've had a lot of kids come through my house. It's not a mansion but it's like home to my sons' friends. I've been like a surrogate mum to them. I feel for those kids who have got nowhere to go."

Mrs Takao's actions sparked an outpouring of support on the Rotorua Daily Post Facebook page when the paper was trying to find her, some people calling Mrs Takao "an angel".

"It's fantastic that there are angels like this lady but very sad that this country has children in that situation," wrote one.

Child Youth and Family regional director Sue Critchley said she applauded Mrs Takao.

"It sounds like she did a very kind thing. Other people can take her lead and offer some help. It might not mean taking them home - we don't want people to feel unsafe - but ringing agencies to see what other options are available."

Rotorua police prevention manager Inspector Ed Van Den Broek said people should take caution in such circumstances.

"She's done a very kind thing but we would urge caution about doing this," he said.