While living in Invercargill, Sonya balanced a job as a cleaner with a mysterious second role she kept hidden from everyone. To preserve her budget for drugs, she refused to hire childcare for her night shifts, leaving her seven and ten-year-old children alone in South Invercargill for nine-hour stretches. She bribed them with sweets to ensure their silence. Upon returning home, she would sleep until late afternoon, leaving the children entirely to their own devices.

The situation worsened in Alexandra, where all three children suffered from severe neglect, malnutrition, and abuse. With the fridge and cupboards perpetually bare, the children were forced to eat nothing but cereal or toast for every meal, even as Sonya maintained a plentiful supply of marijuana.

Conditions reached a breaking point in 2013 when the hot water cylinder began to leak. Rather than seeking repairs, Sonya drained and deactivated the unit for the final six or seven months of their residency. This left the children without hot water; the eldest two were forced to seek showers at the homes of friends or local youth workers, while Sonya’s own hygiene habits remained a mystery.

Potential cross-check witness 

Greg D: Youth worker circa 2011-2014 ACCYT: Alexandra Combined Churches Youth Trust

Update 2026, I have since been sent these screenshots from Sonya’s youngest sons aunty. This article was originally posted in 2015 or 2016, I have received these photos 17/4/26 as mentioned early Sonya’s son was forced to shower elsewhere as Sonya could not provide hot water. As well as using their shower he also stayed two nights per week at his youth worker and his wifes home. The below screenshots show a fictional story alleging he was staying with CYF. Although there was an alleged incident where he was accused of swinging a skateboard in a girls direction. An official statement was made to police by Sonya’s son with the said youth worker present. The matter was cleared up and no charges were laid. Far from the fiction depicted in these screenshots involving a car and CYF