An 11-year-old girl was mistakenly identified as a missing adult woman by police, forcibly restrained, and injected with anti-psychotic drugs before being placed in a mental health ward, according to a damning report released on Wednesday.
The incident, which took place on March 9, has sparked nationwide outrage and prompted an official investigation ordered by New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
The girl, who has a disability affecting her verbal communication, was walking across a bridge in northern Hamilton when a police patrol mistakenly identified her as a 20-year-old missing hospital patient, the Ministry of Health’s review found. Officers then transported her to a hospital, where she was admitted to an intensive psychiatric care unit.
Despite one nurse expressing concerns that the individual “resembled a child,” medical staff proceeded under the assumption that they were treating an adult patient. When the girl refused medication, she was restrained and injected with anti-psychotic drugs that are rarely administered to children. She remained in the hospital for over 12 hours before authorities realized their mistake and contacted her family.
“This report is a frank read. But it is necessary to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” said senior health official Richard Sullivan, issuing an official apology to the child and her family. “I just wish to start by apologizing to this young person and her family for the trauma and distress that was caused.”
The shocking mix-up has led to swift responses from both health and law enforcement officials, who are now under pressure to explain how such a grave error could occur. Political leaders have also expressed alarm, with Prime Minister Luxon calling the incident “incredibly distressing and incredibly concerning.”
“As a parent, you identify with what is a horrific set of circumstances. I have massive amounts of empathy for her and her family,” Luxon stated.
Health officials have pledged to review protocols and implement changes to prevent similar incidents in the future. Meanwhile, police authorities have yet to clarify how officers failed to recognize that the child was not the missing adult they were searching for.
The case has reignited discussions on patient identification procedures, police intervention in mental health crises, and the treatment of individuals with disabilities in New Zealand’s healthcare system. Advocacy groups have called for stronger safeguards to ensure that such errors do not recur.
As investigations continue, the girl’s family is seeking accountability and assurances that no other child will endure a similar ordeal.
