A children's charity says hundreds are being abused every month in this country.

The issue is again in the headlines following the murder of five-year-old Malachi Subecz in Te Puna, just out of Tauranga.

Lloyd Burr says he grew up in the small town - a great place to grow up, go to school and play sports. 

But in November last year in Te Puna, 27-year-old Michela Barriball murdered Subecz, who was in her care, the son of a friend who'd gone to prison.

Subecz was malnourished and underweight. He'd been verbally and physically abused by  Barriball for 5 months. 

He suffered multiple blunt-force injuries to his head from Barriball and died 10 days later at Starship Hospital. 

Jane Searle from Child Matters told Lloyd Burr that in the last few years, a child has been lost every four to five weeks.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.