Glenn Taiapa extends support to NT family after boy dies from sewage pit fall

A Queensland father whose son drowned in a septic tank is extending his support to an NT family mourning the loss of their own little boy.

A Queensland family is begging for closure more than 15 months after their little boy drowned in a septic tank.

Tiwanaku Pineamine Taiapa, 3, died on a rural property in Cairns on January 2, 2022.

The Taiapa family’s call for action comes just weeks after a two-year-old boy in Mt Liebig – west of Alice Springs – fell in a sewage pit in March.

The young Territorian died just five days later in hospital and NT Police continue to investigate the tragedy on behalf of the Coroner.

Glenn Wiremu Taiapa in front of the hearse carrying his three-year-old boy Tiwanaku Pineamine Taiapa who drowned in a septic tank at Koah on January 2. Picture: Peter Carruthers

Heartbroken father Glenn Wiremu Taiapa said he was prepared to “go to war” to make sure no other children died in septic tanks.

“No one deserves to die in someone else’s shit,” he said.

“Stop this from happening to any more children.”

Mr Taiapa said his family had not yet heard the findings from the investigation into his son’s death.

He said grieving families’ lengthy wait for closure pointed to a lack of support for police and the judicial system.

“They’ve got too many cases going,” he said.

“A total overhaul of the system needs to be done.”

Glenn Wiremu Taiapa with other members of the New Zealand community perform a haka on the Cairns esplanade to farewell his son Tiwanaku Pineamine Taiapa who fell into a septic tank and drowned. Picture: Peter Carruthers

Mr Taiapa said he wanted to work with Everhard Industries – who manufactured the septic tank his son drowned in – to remove similar products and work towards creating safer equipment.

He said all underground septic tanks were “dodgy” because it was easy to damage the lids.

Mr Taiapa said the two-year-old Territorian was the third child he’d heard of who had died in a septic tank in 15 months.

He said the second incident was a three-year-old boy in New Zealand, who died on January 5 this year.

“Who is going to die next?”

Three-year-old Tiwanaku Pineamine Taiapa reportedly drowned in a septic tank at Koah.

Grandmother Linda Taiapa said she wanted closure for her grandson and hoped no other family would be forced to wait the way hers had.

“In our case, the police have taken months to do their investigation,” she said.

Ms Taiapa said she understood the septic tank was still being used by the property’s residents.

“This whole situation has been so devastating,” she said.

“We just want closure so we can begin to heal.”

A Coroner’s Court of Queensland spokesman said the coronial investigation into Tiawanaku’s death was ongoing.

“The coroner will need to review the investigation report and a decision will be made about whether matter will proceed to inquest at that stage.”

Originally published as Glenn Taiapa extends support to NT family after boy dies from sewage pit fall