By 3 News online staff
A teenage girl was forced to spend four days in a police cell earlier this month when Child, Youth and Family (CYF) couldn't find a place for her in a youth justice facility.
The 16-year-old was initially arrested in May and charged with assault, resisting arrest, possession of utensils and disorderly behaviour. She was arrested again on September 10 for breaching bail, reports the New Zealand Herald.
She was then taken to Henderson police station and CYF was alerted but there wasn't a bed available at a youth justice facility so had to stay in the police cells.
The girl told the Herald she was "terrified" while in custody.
"It was shit. I felt like I was going to die. I was cooped up for four nights," the girl said.
Judge Lisa Tremewan said the 16-year-old should never have stayed in the cells.
"In my view this is unacceptable," she told the girl when she appeared in the Waitakere District Court on September 14.
"I am very concerned that you have been at the police station since last Thursday night. That is not a suitable arrangement for you. I would have thought that something suitable would have been arranged by now."
Judge Tremewan said CYF needed to meet its "statutory obligations to ensure appropriate arrangements" were made for youth offenders.
Labour's Jacinda Ardern says it is not the first time young people have wrongly been kept in police cells.
In 2012, a 14-year-old and 16-year-old were kept for 36 hours in the cells of Upper Hutt Police Station.
"A planned overhaul of CYF must include an evaluation of the availability of placements for youngsters caught up in the youth justice system," Ms Ardern said.
"The fact Child Youth and Family had nowhere to put an Auckland teenager is extraordinary.
"If there are not enough beds for these kids then something needs to be done about it."
CYF residential and high needs services general manager Nova Salomen told the paper it was "unfortunate" there was no place for the teen but said she was visited daily by a social worker who assessed her wellbeing.
"We are focused on the safety and wellbeing of all young people at our residences as well as our staff," she said.
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