Warning: This story contains details some readers may find disturbing.
An 11-year-old girl who was viciously attacked by three older girls says she's terrified to leave the home and hears her attackers' voices everywhere.
The girl is one of the victims of a recent attack in Pukekohe which caused shock and outrage when a video of it was shared online.
The girl, who along with her mother Newhsub has agreed not to name, said she and her friends were taking selfies in the Pukekohe town centre when an older group of girls started yelling at them.
"Me and my friends were just at Maccas and then we walked to the park just to sit down for a little bit," she said.
"We were on our phones for a while and these girls were walking around as well and when we were taking photos together they started yelling at us, accusing us of taking photos of them and then they came over to us and we had our cokes with us and they kicked them over."
She said the group of girls then forced them to unlock their phones and show them they weren't taking photos - which they did. Despite finding no photos, the girls then began viciously kicking and attacking her and her friends. She said the attack only stopped when she managed to escape and run away for help.
The impact of the vicious attack has been huge and she's now terrified to leave her home. She's also dealing with ongoing headaches because she was punched and kicked in the head.
The girl's mother told Newshub it has been devastating for her entire family. She said her daughter can't sleep or eat and is terrified she's going to run into her attackers in the small town.
"She feels like they are everywhere… Everywhere we go she's got her arms folded and she's looking around thinking they are there," she told Newshub.
She said her daughter is having nightmares, can't sleep alone and is too scared to go back to school.
"On Monday night she slept with me again and she was having nightmares and she was sort of whimpering in her sleep… It's going to take quite some time for her to get over this."
She told Newshub seeing the video of the attack was a mother's worst nightmare.
"I was just sick. I just felt absolutely beside myself. It was not something a mother should have to see of her baby."
She said her daughter is still dealing with ongoing mental and physical effects from the attack which are hugely concerning.
"She got kicked in the head and in the back and she had bruising around one eye and she's got bruising on one arm.
"We are worried about the headaches, we are worried they are going to be long-term. She's tiny, she's a tiny little girl. That's the other thing we just can't believe - these girls are my size and they did that to that tiny little girl."
The attack has been awful for the whole family she said, revealing her husband is very stressed.
"It's just unbelievable. We're just sort of… we can't really put it into words. It's just horrific. We just feel sick, it feels like we can't enjoy life anymore."
She's also worried the attackers will just get a "slap on the wrist because they're young".
"[We are worried] they'll just get a slap on the hand and then that's it because of their age. So we just want to try and push for something more to be done because with these girls, and with that level of violence, they will end up killing someone."
She said her daughter and the other girls who were attacked are "lovely, quiet girls" and it's "unbelievable" they are going through this.
Video of the violent attack shocked the country when it emerged online. In the video, which was filmed on King Street in Pukekohe, a group of three young girls can be seen pinned up against the wall with three attackers standing in front of them.
One of the girls is kicked in the shoulder by one attacker before another repeatedly punches a different victim in the head.
One of the victims can be heard saying, "I'm sorry" as the horrific violence continues.
One of the attackers then moves toward the two girls, who back off and move out of shot. As the video continues, one of the suspects drags one of the girls by the hair with the young victim saying, "Stop please, I'm sorry, I'm really sorry".
The suspect starts punching and kneeing the young girl in the head and also pulling the girl's hair.
Police told Newshub the majority of attackers are also responsible for another attack - which was also shared online.
The second attack, which was filmed, happened outside Pukekohe North Primary School.
In the video, a young girl can be seen pinned against a fence. Another girl then lashes out, smashing the young girl in the face several times before kicking her.
The suspect throws several more punches before pulling the young victim's face and head down and driving her knee into the girl's head.
People can be heard in the background saying, "Leave her alone" and at least one person attempts to separate the offender.
Counties Manukau South Area Commander Inspector Joe Hunter said police are aware of footage of the two vicious two assaults.
"We are extremely concerned by the violence shown in the videos and we ask the community to cease sharing them any further," Inspector Hunter said.
"Police are following positive lines of enquiry in relation to both matters, and we are supporting the victims and their families.
"We are also working with our community and our partner agencies who hold a key role in the wider response due to the age of those involved in the offending."
Insp Hunter said the public can be assured police are taking the attacks very seriously.
"Enquiries are ongoing and it has been established that a majority of the offenders are involved in both incidents," he said.
Police encourage anyone with information to call 105, referencing file number 221001/8913. Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
