Such generosity

Jamie Morton at NZ Herald reports:

The European family of a little girl raped in a Turangi campground have made a “heart warming” and “remarkable” gesture to New Zealand – and despite the horror ordeal they plan to come back.

The brutal attack on the 5-year-old on December 21 – which took place as she was sleeping alongside her little brother in a caravan at Club Habitat – drew an outpouring of both national shame and support, leaving the family overwhelmed with messages of support and more than $62,000 in donations.

It also stirred a wave of fury toward the youth responsible – a Turangi 16-year-old who will be sentenced in Rotorua this month.

Yesterday, the girl’s family re-iterated they bore no grudge against New Zealand, and announced they had donated $20,000 towards four organisations.

The money will help buy paediatric surgical instruments and items for Waikato Hospital’s Waikids Ward 26, support protection agency ECPAT Child Alert NZ Ltd and Victim Support Hamilton, and will go toward a new children’s playground for the Turangi community, who gave the family $13,000 in donations.

That is staggering generosity, when you consider what they have gone through.

There will be a lot of interest in the sentencing later this month.