Health New Zealand has apologized after an 11-year-old girl was mistakenly identified as a 20-year-old woman and admitted to a mental health facility.
The autistic, non-verbal girl was handcuffed by police and taken to Waikato Hospital’s Henry Bennett Centre.
Te Whatu Ora will review whether any medication was given. Cath Cronin, deputy chief executive at Te Whatu Ora, said police claimed the girl was a missing patient, leading to her admission.
About 12 hours later, the police realised their mistake. They confirmed the girl was a missing minor. Her family then came to take her home. Cronin acknowledged the situation caused distress and trauma for the girl and her family.
