Anahera Rangitaawa Police are investigating how a 33-year-old transgender woman received serious head injuries in Palmerston North. Anahera “Angel” Rangitaawa is in Wellington Hospital with family members by her side. Detective Johnny Oram from Palmerston North CIB says at this stage Rangitaawa’s injuries are “unexplained”, and says “it would be premature to speculate on how and why the injuries were received”. He says police were called when Rangitaawa was found lying on the ground near the entrance to the Copthorne Hotel on the corner of Fitzherbert Avenue and Ferguson Street. She was initially treated at Palmerston North Hospital and later transferred to Wellington. In a post on Facebook, her aunt says the family believes she was attacked. “I am saddened and appalled that in the 21st Century ignorant, judgemental and evil people can smash a person to within an inch of their life for ... being who they are,” she writes. Anyone who saw what happened around the intersection between midnight and 1am on Saturday is asked to call the Palmerston North Police Station on 06 361 3600 and ask for Detective Johnny Oram. Meanwhile, a massive amount of love and support has been expressed for Rangitaawa and her family on social media, where her aunt has asked for people to “call on/pray to whomever you believe in” to help the recovery of a “loving, happy young woman”.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Sunday, 22nd June 2014 - 4:40pm