The 22-year-old, who had Cook Islands heritage, passed away on August 27 last year, after collapsing in a carpark.
Coroner Tim Scott said Waikato died from a head injury “sustained while playing a game of rugby league”. The report says it was likely she hit her head on the ground during a tackle, before she collapsed.
However, Mary Pakoti believes her daughter may have had a pre-existing head injury and has questions she wants put to the coroner. However, Pakoti says a post-mortem is not a part of her Cook Islands cultural beliefs.
It is unknown if the inquiry into Waikato’s death will be reopened.
