CYF: Dead girl's mum was trying to rid her life of violence

Photo / APN

The mother of a 5-year-old girl found dead in her bed after an alleged assault was trying to escape the violence in her life.

The girl was found in her bed by family members at their home in Riverbend Rd in central Napier just before 2am yesterday. A 24-year-old man appeared in the Napier District Court yesterday charged with assault. He was granted interim name suppression and remanded in custody until January 12.

His lawyer Philip Jensen said more serious charges were likely and did not argue against police opposition to bail.

The man lived at the house, however police would not reveal his relationship to the child or her mother.

Inspector Kevin Kalff said the child's name would not be released until her entire family had been notified of her death.

Child, Youth and Family head of operations Marama Wiki confirmed yesterday that the girl's family was known to the agency.

"Due to concerns around family violence between the mum and her partner," she said.

"Mum had taken significant steps in recent years to live without violence; and there have been no concerns raised with us for almost two years. We will assist the police in any way possible in their investigation of a dreadful end to a young girl's life."

Neighbours said they heard screaming coming from the house at about 1.50am.

One man said he was woken by a woman wailing loudly and screaming for help.

"She just kept on screaming," he said.

"She must have been ringing the cops and she just kept on screaming."

He heard people running to meet an ambulance and police as they arrived at the house.

"You don't expect to hear that," he said. "That poor child, that whole family."

Neighbours said they thought two or three children lived at the rear-section house, but they didn't know the family.

"They just stuck to themselves," one said.

Another woman said she heard screaming but assumed it was the girl's mother and her partner. She said there had been domestic disputes between the pair in the past.

"I was going to go over there but I hesitated. Do I go and get involved again, I thought. When I heard someone had been killed I thought it was her [the girl's mother].

"It never crossed my mind it was a child."

The woman's daughter went to Onekawa School with the 5-year-old.

The house remained cordoned off last night as a 14-strong police team and ESR forensic staff continued investigations into the girl's death.