Police believe the Baby Nia’s nightmare of abuse began three weeks ago, but the real torture started last week.
“The last three days, that is, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday of last week were more intensive in regard to the physical abuse,” Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Loper said.
Neighbours told 3 News Nia was hung on the clothes line and spun round until she flew off.
She was put in an ice cold bath and then in the clothes dryer.
They said she was used to practice wrestling like the grown men you would see on television.
The neighbours were too scared to speak to 3 News on camera, but they say they often heard the little girl crying.
Last Friday they saw her on the roof, terrified and screaming but they did not call the police.
It was not until Sunday – more than 36 hours later – that Nia was taken to Rotorua Hospital.
She had abdominal injuries and bleeding to her brain.
“After being assessed there it became apparent she required further treatment, and she was airlifted to the Auckland Starship Hospital,” Detective Loper said.
On Monday police arrested four people, and charged them with assault.
They are 17-year-old Wiremu Curtis, the baby's step-dad, Wiremu's brother 21-year-old Michael Curtis, Michael's partner 17-year-old Oriwa Kemp and 19-year-old Michael Pearson.
Police say Nia's 34-year-old mother was not home at the time.
Detective Loper: “We're going to speak to people in different organisations like the Kohunga that the kids used to go to, and just build up a picture of the family and how they function and how the associates were able to do this to the child.”
Nia's mother works in the kiwifruit industry in Te Puke.
She has two other children, 10- and 8-year-old boys who watched the abuse happen.
source: newshub archive
