The mother of three-year-old Moko Rangitoheriri, who was tortured and abused to death, says her son's death was "premeditated murder" and she wants his killers to be in prison for life.
Tania Shailer and her partner, David William Haerewa, were on Monday sentenced to 17 years with a minimum of nine years in jail for the boy's manslaughter in August last year.
Shailer and Haerewa were supposed to be looking after Moko while mother Nicola Dally-Paki was at Starship Hospital caring for one of her other children.
The original murder charges were dropped and replaced with manslaughter.
In an interview with Story, Ms Dally-Paki said the manslaughter charge was "not good enough".
"I am not satisfied by it. I will be going to every parole hearing and opposing their parole, every time they apply. I want them to do life for the gruesome [act] they did to my child.
"For that judge to sit there, and give out what she gave out, which I respect and I accept ... as a mum, as Moko's mum, she could have done more.
"She has the power and the position. Yes, laws do override, but she sat in that seat, in that hotspot, in that moment in that time -- she could have made a better decision, a life sentence.
"Moko never comes back. What they did to Moko never ever changes. After 17 years he's still gone."
Ms Dally-Paki left the court on numerous occasions on Monday when details of the case got to be too much.
In summing up, Justice Sarah Katz told the court Shailer and Haerewa's offending was one of the most serious cases of manslaughter she had ever seen and described their actions as cruel and callous.
"Over the two months Moko resided with you, your animosity against him increased. The reason for your hostility is not clear. Mr Haerewa said he didn't like Moko's ways -- I note again he was a three-year-old child."
Justice Katz said a culture of violence against Moko developed.
"Rather than caring for him, you embarked on a joint campaign of violence against him."
Ms Dally-Paki says she made eye contact with Shailer in court on Monday.
"Smirk, happy -- she succeeded. That's why I tried my hardest not to show any tear, never fear. She made me angry. She made me very angry."
She says her son's killers did not show any remorse in court.
"There was none. All they did was defend themselves through their lawyers. There was no sorry, nothing. There's no remorse. Disgusting. Poor excuses for humans."
Earlier, Ms Dally-Paki made an emotional victim impact statement to the court, saying of Shailer and Haerewa: "When I think of them, I think of them as evil."
"Because of Tania and David's actions, I had to bury my son."
She asked Justice Sarah Katz to impose the maximum sentence on the pair, saying "I don't believe they are truly sorry," and criticised the charges being reduced from murder to manslaughter -- which she believed was to save the Crown money.
Attorney-General Chris Finlayson today defended the plea bargain, saying it was to secure a conviction.
The downgrade shocked the nation, and prompted national rallies across New Zealand.
Ms Dally-Paki thanked New Zealanders who rallied around the country in support.
"Thank you for the turnouts that went viral with all the High Courts today, for Moko. It's continuing. This is the beginning of the evolution.
"I was very grateful."
She says her focus now is on her two other children, who have also had to live through the ordeal.
Shailer and Haerewa will serve at least nine years behind bars before being considered for parole.
Newshub.
