Re: ‘They got away with murder' (The Weekend Sun, July 1).

I would like to endorse the views expressed by K Morland of Katikati concerning the murder of Moko Rangioheriri, a totally vulnerable and helpless child of three years old, tortured and killed by two adults who personally I would prefer to see jailed for life or exterminated. When my first child Gina was born I felt such a surge of love for her and such an urge to cherish and protect her.

This was replicated with my second child, and with all my grandchildren. Children have no ability to fight back on their own behalf; they have no language for abuse. And what is terrifying is that often they internalise it as normal, and so the pattern of abuse is repeated from one generation to the next.

The other thing that came along with that love for the babies in my own family was an understanding that I wanted to care for everyone else's children because I wanted other adults to care for mine. Children are our future, and it is against all instincts to kill or maim them. So thank you, K Morland, for speaking up and let us all demand from our legislators appropriate sentences for child murderers.

J Arganter, Otumoetai.