Authorities botch abuse investigation involving "solo" dad for three years, even though dad had long criminal history (New Zealand)

I swear. It doesn't matter if you're in New York or New Zealand. These so-called child protection professionals are a gaggle of idiots.

Almost three years ago, neighbors started complaining about "solo" dad TROY DUNN and his abusive treatment of his two kids. Daddy did the BS parenting course, but the authorities refused to take the kids away. Meanwhile, Daddy figured out which neighbors had ratted him out, so he started targeting them with his abuse. Big surprise.

Finally Daddy assaulted one son badly enough to perforate his eardrum, and the boy finally told a teacher. THEN the authorities finally got off their collective duff and rescued the kids.

But the authorities are really, really sorry. They "misjudged" dear daddy. But what was there to misjudge? We soon find out that that DADDY ALREADY HAD A VIOLENT CRIMINAL RECORD! What was there to misjudge? It's not like the guy was a choir boy with no track record for this kind of behavior.

Meanwhile, Daddy's doing a whopping 20 months in jail. Big whoop.

So here's the question that's still being ignored: why and how was this criminal a "solo" father? Is the mother deceased? If so, do we know for a fact that her death was from natural causes? Did she "disappear"? Did Daddy get custody through the courts? You have to wonder when a violent dude like this gets custody, as it's more than likely he used violence against the kids' mother in the past.

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/horror-child-abuse-continues-years-after-reported-4700623

CYF says sorry over horror child abuse case

Published: 9:02PM Tuesday January 24, 2012
Source: ONE News

Child, Youth and Family has launched an investigation into why it failed to protect two children from abuse by their father for almost three years after it was reported by neighbours.

Troy Dunn was a solo father with two children he was abusive towards, and his neighbours at Arkles Bay on Auckland's North Shore, heard it.

The neighbours, Grant and Merryn, told TV ONE's Close Up they heard Dunn verbally abusing the children, sometimes several days a week, and were sure there would be violence if they did nothing about it.

Merryn said she called CYF because she was scared for the lives of the children.

CYF paid Dunn a visit and put him on a parenting course which he completed.

But Dunn realised his neighbours had dobbed him in and he became abusive towards them.

As a last resort they wrote a detailed letter the chief executive of CYF, which the department can't find in its records.

Grant and Merryn did not hear back from CYF.

Almost three years later, on January 12, Dunn pleaded guilty to assaulting his son and injuring him with intent.

Dunn had thrown his son down the stairs, hit him, kicked him, punched him in the head and perforated his ear drum.

All of this only came to light when the abuse became so bad that he boy told his teachers.

After Close Up's inquiries the head of CYF, has launched an investigation. Bernadine MacKnezie said she is very concerned about some of the decisions that were made, which were "not child centred".

Dunn already had a long criminal history including a number of convictions for violence, but CYF did not remove the children from his care.

The neighbours said the abuse continued for almost three years after they reported it and CYF "let the kids down".

CYF admits it got it wrong

Child, Youth and Family said in a statement to Close Up: "We can understand why these neighbours feel let down by us. We weren't proactive. We made some poor judgments. We misjudged the father."

The department is apologising to the two children it failed to protect.

Despite numerous requests for an interview, CYF refused to front on camera.

Dunn's children survived the abuse. They have been removed from his care and Dunn has been jailed for 20 months.