Dead toddler's home vandalised

File photo / Hawke's Bay Today

The house where toddler Kash Meshetti McKinnon was found with fatal head injuries last week was broken into and trashed this week, only days before a man was charged with her murder.

The words "this house is hell" were written crudely in black paint on the wall near the back door, which the owner said had been kicked in.

Other parts of the house were also damaged and he said it appeared Kash's family had abandoned the property after her death.

Police found 3-year-old Kash with critical injuries at the Hulme St, Palmerston North house last Wednesday. She was rushed to hospital but died the next day with her mother Ngamiri McKinnon at her side.

The child's funeral was on Monday and police charged a 21-year-old security guard with murder on Friday. He appeared in the Palmerston North District Court on Friday afternoon and was granted interim name suppression until his next appearance.

The accused, whose father and other family were in court to support him, stood with his hands in his pockets during his brief appearance. He was remanded in custody and did not look at his family or utter a word.

Members of Kash's family arrived at court moments after the appearance was over and were visibly angry.

They screamed abuse at the accused's family as they left the courthouse telling them he was "f***ing dead".

They also hurled profanities at media, saying, "f*** off for your own safety."

The court heard the man met with officers voluntarily on Friday morning. Police confirmed they were investigating the break-in at the Hulme St house.

They said Kash's family had not returned to the property, as far as they were aware.

The owner has since fitted new bolts and padlocks to the back door.

Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Sheridan, in charge of the investigation into Kash's death, refused to say what caused her head injuries.

It was also reportedthat Kash's 26-year-old father Nikki Douglas had physically abused Ngamiri, even while she was pregnant.

The Manawatu Standard reported that "regular" beatings led to Ngamiri's stepfather Reginald Ian Pullen, 56, stabbing Douglas in 2007.

After the stabbing, Pullen told police Douglas used Ngamiri as a punching bag. They put Ngamiri and Kash in a safe house to escape the abuse.

Pullen was sentenced to more than three years in prison for the stabbing.

At a depositions hearing Douglas admitted beating Ngamiri but claimed he did not know if he had hit her while she was pregnant.

"We've had fist fights ... I've slapped her face a few times, yeah."

Douglas told the court if he put himself in Pullen's shoes he would do whatever it took to make Ngamiri happy, but added: "Kids are something to fight for, women aren't. They're just everyday things, like undies."