Arrests over death of toddler

FATAL INJURIES: Nineteen-month-old Casino Ataria-Wharehinga died in Starship Children’s Hospital on January 10. Two people have been charged in relation to her death. Picture supplied

Police have arrested and charged two people over the death of a Gisborne toddler in January of this year.

A homicide investigation began shortly after 19-month-old Casino Ataria-Wharehinga died in Starship hospital on January 10.

A spokesperson for the police said, “This is a tragic case where a little girl has been badly beaten and she has died as a result of her injuries,” police said in a statement.

Police thanked members of the community for "bravely coming forward" to assist with the investigation.

The two charged - a man, aged 35, and a woman, 37, were both known to Casino, police said.

The man is charged with manslaughter arising from the death of the girl on January 6, this year, and causing grievous bodily harm with reckless disregard arising out of an incident on December 19, last year.

The woman is charged with obstructing justice.

They are jointly charged with ill-treating the child.

Whether they get to keep their identities secret will be decided at a hearing in Gisborne District Court tomorrow.

The pair each made preliminary appearances in the court this afternoon. Judge Warren Cathcart remanded each of them further in custody overnight to appear again in the morning for legal arguments as to whether they should get interim name suppression.

The Gisborne Herald said it would oppose those applications.

Whether the pair are granted bail will also be discussed at tomorrow's hearing.