Dead toddler was due to start kindy

The Kaitaia home was still cordoned off yesterday as police continued their scene examination. Photo / Richard Robinson

A 2-year-old Kaitaia girl was supposed to be starting kohanga reo next Monday and her mother was being considered for the position of head teacher.

But instead the toddler's family are preparing for her funeral and her 34-year-old mother has been charged with assault.

The girl - who cannot be named because her mother's name is suppressed - died in Auckland's Starship hospital on Saturday morning, after being flown from Kaitaia Hospital at 4.30am. A post mortem examination was carried out yesterday, although the results are not expected to be released.

Police have not said what injuries she had but have indicated more charges may follow.

Te Paatu Kohanga Reo chairwoman Iris Simeon told the Herald the toddler and her 1-year-old brother were due to start at the kindergarten next week.

Her parents took the the pair and their 10-year-old sister to the centre on Thursday to enrol.

Ms Simeon's son Desmond and daughter-in-law Aroha had recommended the little girl's mother to teach at the kindergarten.

"I think they felt a bit sorry for her," Ms Simeon said. "She was stuck at home with the kids. They wanted to bring her to kohanga and meet the other parents.

"She was looking at starting as a kaimahi [worker] and preparing the food, changing the babies' nappies, that sort of thing but I could see her becoming the kaiako [head teacher].

"I was so impressed with her ability, I was looking for someone with te reo, the language and she had it. I was looking at employing her."

Mr Simeon met the little girl's father while the pair were picking fruit at an orchid in Pukepoto, southwest of Kaitaia.

He had last seen the family on Thursday, at the kohanga, and they seemed in good spirits.

He said the little girl was "pointing and pulling" at him to let her in the gate to play on the jungle gym.

He said she was "a small baby" with short blond hair and brown eyes.

"She was a cute little girl. I've got five little ones myself. They're quite loud, boisterous. She didn't act like that, she was more timid and shy ... She was well-dressed and fed, [the mother] looked after them pretty well."

He visited the family's home again on Saturday afternoon to see if the father wanted to go fishing on Sunday, but found it cordoned off.

Police interviewed him that day, and told him the little girl had severe head injuries, Mr Simeon said.

"You think about your own kids when something like this happens. You hear about it on TV but you don't think it would ever be that close."

The couple's other children are in the care of Child, Youth and Family Services.

The woman sobbed as a supporter called "we love you" when she was led out of the courtroom in the Auckland District Court yesterday.

The girl's father was among about 20 supporters, about half of whom had travelled from Northland.

A family friend says the woman suffered from postnatal depression and other problems after the girl was born.

The family's Kaitaia home was still cordoned off yesterday, with a blue tent standing in the driveway.