Murray Wilson/Stuff
Daniel Rei was in state care for four years at a family home in New Plymouth, Hamilton Boys’ Home and the Kohitere Boys’ Training Centre in Levin.
His behaviour got aggressive after experiencing racism at school in Taranaki, and after being sexually abused by his uncle when he was 8 years old, so his mother contacted the Department of Social Welfare.
In December 1986 he was admitted to the Rosendale Family Home where became involved in sexual activity, started sniffing glue daily, smoking cigarettes and cannabis and taking benzodiazepines.
He was admitted to Hamilton Boys’ Home after committing burglaries. He was not there long, and ran away as often as he could.