Autopsy images of Ngatikaura Ngati

The deliberate judicial release of official autopsy photographs after the trial of his killers, for the subsequent distribution of those images on the Internet and for the subsequent debate about the images among government figures, including three successive Children's Commissioners caused controversy that was the result of the tension between the desire for privacy and respect for victims of family violence and the need for publicity to motivate changes in public attitudes to family violence.

Holders of the office have been of differing opinions on the controversy over the autopsy images of Ngatikaura Ngati.

Ngatikaura Ngati was a New Zealand-Tongan toddler who died of child abuse in January 2006.

Ngatikaura Ngati was a New Zealand-Tongan toddler who died of child abuse in January 2006.

Ngatikaura Ngati was a New Zealand-Tongan toddler who died of child abuse in January 2006.

The deliberate judicial release of official autopsy photographs after the trial of his killers, for the subsequent distribution of those images on the Internet and for the subsequent debate about the images among government figures, including three successive Children's Commissioners caused controversy that was the result of the tension between the desire for privacy and respect for victims of family violence and the need for publicity to motivate changes in public attitudes to family violence.

The deliberate judicial release of official autopsy photographs after the trial of his killers, for the subsequent distribution of those images on the Internet and for the subsequent debate about the images among government figures, including three successive Children's Commissioners caused controversy that was the result of the tension between the desire for privacy and respect for victims of family violence and the need for publicity to motivate changes in public attitudes to family violence.

Ngati had been fostered to a cousin of his birth mother and was being raised in a Tongan language environment until shortly after his third birthday when he was returned to his birth mother, at her request.

Ngati had been fostered to a cousin of his birth mother and was being raised in a Tongan language environment until shortly after his third birthday when he was returned to his birth mother, at her request.

Ngati and Fa'asisila were found not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter, failing to provide a child with the necessities of life (medical care), and willful ill treatment of a child.

Ngati and Fa'asisila were found not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter, failing to provide a child with the necessities of life (medical care), and willful ill treatment of a child.

Ngati and Fa'asisila were found not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter, failing to provide a child with the necessities of life (medical care), and willful ill treatment of a child.

In June, 2007, each was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison, with a minimum non-parole period of four years and eight months.

Fa'asisila "came up for parole [in] December 2011" and "will be sent back to Tonga upon his release", but it is unclear whether he was in fact released.

After trial, in an unusual and controversial move, Auckland High Court Judge Graham Lang allowed the release of the autopsy photos into the public realm, and allowed New Zealand's TV One (New Zealand) (TVNZ) to film the autopsy photographs "so that they may give pause to those people who choose to ignore that their family members are being hurt".

After trial, in an unusual and controversial move, Auckland High Court Judge Graham Lang allowed the release of the autopsy photos into the public realm, and allowed New Zealand's TV One (New Zealand) (TVNZ) to film the autopsy photographs "so that they may give pause to those people who choose to ignore that their family members are being hurt".

After the broadcast, she lodged a complaint with the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA), arguing that "[One News] had displayed a disregard for the rights of the young victim and exploitation of him by showing these photos".

Ngati's name (but not images) were used by Family First to advocate tougher sentences for child abuse and to highlight female family violence perpetrators.

The images have also been used on placards (protest signs).

Preceding Commissioner Roger McClay said, that use of the photos would serve to raise awareness of the child abuse "epidemic", which was not well known amongst New Zealanders.

Some time later the photos appeared on Internet shock sites, which some have characterized as pornographic.

Some time later the photos appeared on Internet shock sites, which some have characterized as pornographic.

Even though shock sites did not create the photos, the images nevertheless fueled a squabble between two such sites in 2011, wherein one lodged an unsuccessful DCMA (copyright) complaint with Google against the other.

Even though shock sites did not create the photos, the images nevertheless fueled a squabble between two such sites in 2011, wherein one lodged an unsuccessful DCMA (copyright) complaint with Google against the other.

* Child poverty in New Zealand

Controversy arose when the autopsy images of Ngatikaura Ngati appeared on goregrish.com and bestgore.com, which some have characterized as pornographic.