Te Ngaengae Pool and Fitness. Photo: Supplied / Hutt City Council
A family member of a young girl who was punched in the face at Naenae's new pool while trying to protect her little brother, says the incident could have been avoided if staff intervened earlier.
Two fights have been reported in the three months Te Ngaengae Pool has been open, along with other intimidating behaviour.
The family member, who does not want to be named, said last Tuesday's altercation arose after the 13-year-old girl told a young boy off for pushing her 10-year-old brother while in line at the pool.
She said the boy then punched the girl, who responded to the attack. The woman said the boy's mother then also got involved in the dispute.
She said pool staff did not get involved until late in the altercation, and it could have been avoided if they had intervened when the pushing and shoving began.
Last week another pool patron had also told RNZ the lifeguards at Te Ngaengae Pool appeared very young and didn't appear to have the confidence to approach intimidating situations.
The woman said she was frustrated by the way police and Hutt City Council, which runs the facility, responded.
Following the altercation, police said, "the parent and youth left before police arrived and there was no way to identify them," while the council said all parties had left before police arrived.
The woman disputed this.
She said her family had been the ones to call police after pool staff refused to and the family had filed both a report with police when they arrived as well as an incident report with pool staff.
Neither police or council would confirm if the family had filed a report with them.
The council said its staff filed an incident report per usual health and safety practice, and reiterated they did not call police as they "did not feel it was necessary."
Police meanwhile said they were unable to provide further details of what occurred when they attended, other than to say their understanding was that the "alleged offenders" left before police arrived.
Following the incident the woman said her family had also followed up with an email to Councillor Brady Dyer who said on social media he was investigating the incident.
He referred her back to council, who confirmed they had received that email.
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