Dead teen's parents fight for deportation | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

The parents of a Rotorua teenager who took her own life are fighting to ensure the man convicted of an unlawful relationship with her is deported back to Samoa.

Hayley-Anne Fenton, 15, killed herself shortly after receiving a text message she thought was from her "first love", 27-year-old Pelesasa Tiumalu, telling her "Go Kill yourself, I don't care".

His wife Elina Tiumalu had intercepted the teenager's messages, threatening and abusing her through replies.

Hours after the dying teenager was taken to hospital, her father had to make the decision to turn off her life support machine.

Tiumalu was subsequently convicted of sexual charges involving the under-age girl and jailed for four years three months, making him subject to a deportation order. Tiumalu has appealed deportation on humanitarian grounds - he has a wife and two children living in New Zealand.

Elina Tiumalu was sentenced to a nine-month good behaviour bond on charges of intimidation.

Tiumalu recently went before the Parole Board seeking release from prison which was denied.

In the board's decision released to The Daily Post, board convenor Judge Jane Lovell-Smith said Tiumalu decided to "stand by" when his wife intimidated Hayley-Anne.

"Such conduct by Mr Tiumalu and his wife heightens the board's concern as to whether he would present an undue risk to the safety of the community," the decision states.


Hayley-Anne's parents Lesley and Kevin Fenton fear Tiumalu will be allowed to stay in the country to be with his family.

Information provided by Immigration New Zealand shows Tiumalu arrived from Samoa in 2005 and has New Zealand residency.

If allowed to remain in the country, other young women would be placed at risk, Mrs Fenton told The Daily Post.

The couple plan to write to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal and attend the March appeal hearing to have their say on the issue. Tiumalu is due to come up for parole again in June.

"Our community doesn't want him here. Who will be his next victim?" Mrs Fenton asked.

"Our children are too vulnerable. He is a danger to society. He will do this again."

She feared what she could do if she came across Tiumalu or his wife in the street.

"I don't really know what I would do," she said.

Mrs Fenton also wanted to know why Tiumalu's wife, Elina, wasn't punished for pushing her daughter over the edge with threatening text messages.

"We have only had half closure," she said.

"Who was the one who pushed the last button - both of them. They were texting her together. They both should be in jail."

Hayley-Anne's father said he also couldn't be responsible for his actions if he bumped into the pair.

He says they showed no remorse at a Restorative Justice meeting.

He told The Daily Post he slipped into deep depression after his daughter's death - throwing himself into his work and drinking until he snapped out of it on the day she would have turned 18.

"She was our last child. Our baby. I couldn't go fishing anymore without Hayley. I'd drink myself to sleep," he said.

"We think about her and cry every day. It has changed our family so much."

Meanwhile, Rotorua MP Todd McClay said Tiumalu had a right to appeal the deportation order.

"There is a legal process and the law has to be followed to the exact degree," he said.

However, Mr McClay said he was confident Immigration staff would get it right in a case involving abuse against young people or where someone was convicted of serious crimes.

"I have faith they will make the right decision ... he has to pay his dues to society," he said.

"For a New Zealander in another country in a similar situation, I imagine that country would deport them. Our laws are similar. It's just important to follow the proper process."

But if Tiumalu had been granted residency, it would be more difficult to have him removed, Mr McClay said.

To gain residency a person must prove they are a good citizen.

"You must be law-abiding," he said.