Child tells of Nia's horrific abuse

Nia Glassie, the 3-year-old toddler who was allegedly subjected to horrific abuse.

A child witness says she told those accused of killing Nia Glassie to stop abusing the 3-year-old because "she might end up being sore and not wake up".

The witness, who cannot be identified, said she saw the accused spinning Nia in a tumble dryer and on a clothesline until she fell off.

She said the 3-year-old was also subjected to beatings called "penalties" and "pedigrees and tombstones" which involved her being picked up by the legs, dropped on her head, and body-slammed by the accused.

The allegations are contained in a video statement from the girl, who is one of two child witnesses in the case against the five people accused of killing Nia in Rotorua last year.

The Herald can publish details of the children's video statements after a defence appeal against publication was rejected.

Justice Pamela Andrews dismissed the appeal in the High Court at Rotorua yesterday.

Defence lawyer Jonathan Temm had argued publication would unfairly prejudice the case against the accused - Nia's mother Lisa Kuka, Kuka's boyfriend Wiremu Curtis, Curtis' brother Michael, Michael's girlfriend Oriwa Kemp, and Nia's cousin Michael Pearson.

Nia died in Auckland's Starship hospital on August 3, 12 days after she was taken to Rotorua Hospital with serious head injuries.

The two Curtis brothers are charged with murder, and Pearson, Kemp and Kuka are charged with manslaughter. All have denied the charges and are awaiting trial.

The first child said in her video statement she saw Nia being abused by four of the accused at home while Kuka was at work.

"They were putting her in the couch 'cos there's a rip in the couch and they sat on her and in the dryer they spinned her round," the witness said.

"And they put her on the line and they made her cry and they made her fall off. And they put her in the sandpit and she had no pants on."

The witness, who was interviewed by a Child, Youth and Family worker, said it had been Pearson's idea to put Nia in the dryer and the Curtis brothers had pushed her inside "like a ball" and turned it on.

"They turned it up to high and then they let her spin around."

Said the CYF interviewer: "How long was she in the dryer?"

"Twenty minutes," replied the witness.

Interviewer: "And what about the door on the dryer? Was that ... "

Witness: "It was closed and she kicked the door open. She kicked the door open and they just put her legs back in again."

Nia was reportedly conscious when let out of the dryer. The accused then carried her outside and put her on the clothesline.

"They put her on the line and spinned her fast as so she can fall off ... They done it three times and she hurt her head."

The witness said the accused followed this by pushing Nia into a sandpit after removing her jeans and underwear.

"She was crying loud and they turned [on] the music, they turned up the radio so that the next-door neighbours don't hear."

The witness said these incidents happened on a Thursday, three days before Nia was taken to Rotorua Hospital.

On the Wednesday, Kemp had allegedly kicked Nia in the nose and made her nose bleed.

Nia was also given the beatings called "penalties" on Thursday, and "pedigrees and tombstones" on Friday, the witness said.

Nia had been "floppy" in bed on the Friday night and would not wake up when her mother got home in the evening and gave her a bath.

She had remained "asleep" throughout Saturday, when a 21st birthday party was held for Michael Curtis at the house.

"They told me to shut up 'cause I told them to stop doing it 'cause she might end up being sore and not wake up," the witness said.

In the witness' mind, the clothes-line incident was the worst because the line was high and Nia was dizzy.

The video statements were part of evidence submitted by the Crown at a depositions hearing in December.

Some of the depositions evidence remains suppressed.