By 1news.co.nz
The family of a 12-year-old girl who was left traumatised following a brutal assault outside an Auckland McDonald’s is pleading for the community to look out for their kids.
Content warning: This story contains distressing content.
The attack took place on Saturday afternoon when the young girl was enjoying a meal and laughing with her friends at the Glenfield McDonald’s on Kaipatiki Rd.
Her sister Rein Crystal told 1News that two other girls at the restaurant mistakenly believed the 12-year-old and her friends were laughing at them.
When she left the restaurant, one of the girls from the McDonald’s approached her — demanding an apology, assuming she’d been mocked.
Rein described her sister as a “good girl” who didn’t want to make any enemies, so she apologised — explaining she wasn’t laughing at them.
This didn’t work, however, with one of the girls kicking her leg, pinning her to the ground, where they repeatedly kicked the 12-year-old’s face.
“She had already apologised, but the girls kept kicking her because she has no way of defending herself,” Crystal said.
“She just wanted to enjoy a meal with her friends.”
The attackers fled, leaving the young girl on the concrete — covered in blood and crying.
Her family came to pick her up, with Crystal saying blood was “scattered everywhere”.
The young girl was taken to White Cross A&E, where her injuries were treated.
Two days after the attack, Crystal said her sister is “doing okay” but still has a swollen face.
“We’re just happy my sister is OK,” she said.
In the girl’s mother’s Facebook post, she offered a warning to members of the Glenfield community.
“I am sharing this story not to seek pity for my daughter but as a reminder to the community, particularly those in our neighbourhoods, to take care of our children. Please, everyone, remain alert and watch over them.
“We hope to identify the person responsible for harming my daughter, regardless of their age. While they may not face legal consequences, we wish to apprehend them, engage in a conversation with them and their parents, and ensure that such acts of abuse and assault do not happen to others in the future.”
The family had just moved to New Zealand from the Philippines in August last year, and say this kind of thing had never happened before.
“My daughter is not the type to engage in fights or rebellious behaviour, and incidents like this never occurred to them, even back in the Philippines,” her mother said in a Facebook post.
Crystal said the attacker is yet to be apprehended by police, which has the family concerned.
“We’re mad. We want to catch the girl,” she said.
“What if they do it again.”
Police have been contacted for comment.
