Wairarapa is a small town in New Zealand, which shows its true beauty in spring. Daffodils are dotted throughout the area which is backdropped by the snowy Tararua Ranges. In 2003, a little girl never showed up to class one morning and the community truly bounded together to try and bring her home safely. Her disappearance would reveal a dark underbelly of the town as well as highlight many systemic issues within child protection services as well as the justice system.
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Audio Sources:
“Family of murdered schoolgirl Coral Burrows open up about case that shocked nation I Sunday I TVNZ”
“Child killer threatening in court during sentencing”
Sources:
The Dominican Post, 10 September, 2003 – “Police Hunt for Missing Six Year Old”
The Press, 10 September, 2003 – “Search for Six Year Old”
The Dominion Post, 11 September, 2003 – “I Just Want to Find My Baby”
The Press, 11 September, 2003 – “Disappearance a Wake Up Call”
The Dominion Post, 12 September, 2003 – “Coral’s Home Raided”
The Dominion Post, 12 September, 2003 – “You Can Never Give Up, No Matter How Grim”
The Dominion Post, 12 September, 2003 – “School Admits Mistakes”
The Dominion Post, 13 September, 2003 – “Stepfather Appears in Court”
The Dominion Post, 13 September, 2003 – “Stepfather Denial”
The Dominion Post, 13 September, 2003 – “Police Focus on Sightings of White Car”
Sunday News, 14 September, 2003 – “Cops Move Mum Out”
Sunday Star Times, 14 September, 2003 – “Better to Explain Situation to Your Children”
The Dominion Post, 16 September, 2003 – “She’s Still Alive, Insists Father”
The Dominion Post, 16 September, 2003 – “Police Seal Off Backyard”
The Dominion Post, 17 September, 2003 – “We Want Him Freed, Say Family”
The Dominion Post, 17 September, 2003 – “Police Shift Focus Back to School Grounds”
The Dominion Post, 18 September, 2003 – “Safer in Jail, Says Lawyer”
The Dominion Post, 19 September, 2003 – “Plea for Partner”
The Dominion Post, 19 September, 2003 – “Another Day of Misery for Police Dive Team”
The Dominion Post, 20 September, 2003 – “Tears and Teddies in the Classroom”
The Dominion Post, 20 September, 2003 – “The Unfolding of a Tragedy”
The Dominion Post, 20 September, 2003 – “Angry Crowd Hurls Abuse”
The Dominion Post, 20 September, 2003 – “Whole Country My Family”
The Dominion Post, 20 September, 2003 – “Body Found in Toetoe Hide”
The Press, 20 September, 2003 – “Stepdad Led Police to Coral”
The Press, 22 September, 2003 – “Autopsy Finds Brain Injury Killed Coral”
The Dominion Post, 27 September, 2003 – “Coral’s Death Will Not Be in Vain”
The Waikato Times, 27 September, 2003 – “Farewell to a Beautiful Little Girl”
The Dominion Post, 3 October, 2003 – “Coral’s Clothing Found in Scrub”
The Dominion Post, 18 October, 2003 – “CYF Ignored Father’s Call for Help”
The Press, 25 October, 2003 – “Damning Report”
Waikato Times, 10 December, 2003 – “Stepfather’s Confession”
The Dominion Post, 11 December, 2003 – “Time Bomb”
The Dominion Post, 11 December, 2003 – “Father Shot by Partner”
Waikato Times, 11 December, 2003 – “Coral Another Victim of P”
The Press, 14 February, 2004 – “A Dad’s Anguish”
Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 September, 2013 – “Changes 10 Years On”
Herald on Sunday, 8 March, 2015 – “Not a Day Goes by that We Don’t Think About Her”
Sunday Star Times, 20 September, 2015 – “Killer of Coral in Jail Frenzy”
The New Zealand Herald, 15 March, 2017 – “Child Killer Wants to Rot in Jail”
The Dominion Post, 13 June, 2020 – “Beautifl Vista Belies Dark History”
