19 Oct 2018

Knife-wielding intruder threatens 3yo in Hamilton home

From Morning Report, 7:41 am on 19 October 2018

A Hamilton mother says she hopes her three-year-old daughter will grow up to forget the night an intruder broke into her room, held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her. Akita Pio's husband Beejay woke in the night to see a strange figure in a hallway. Still sleepy, he went to investigate and found an intruder had run into their children's bedroom where he threatened the child with a knife he'd taken from the kitchen. Mr Pio grappled with the intruder while Mrs Pio, who'd been woken by the noise, rushed their two children to safety. She spoke to RNZ reporter John Boynton at the family's home. A 25-year-old man appeared in the Hamilton District Court on Thursday charged with aggravated wounding, aggravated burglary and assault using a knife as a weapon.