Nia Glassie died at Starship hospital on August 3, after suffering injuries at a Frank St house where she was living at the time.
But before that the toddler, her two sisters, her mother Lisa Kuka, plus Kuka's partner Wiremu Curtis, were staying at the one-bedroom home of William Curtis in James St.
Also staying at the address was Hoana Curtis, and her father William.
Hoana Curtis made a statement to police that shed light on the way Nia Glassie was treated at the James St address.
She described Nia as a "primo little girl" but she was prone to being picked on by William and Wiremu Curtis.
"My old man would pick on her by slamming her on the ground, like pick her up and throw her on the ground or just push her on the ground. He would also push her into the wall. Like if she was walking by he would just reach out and push her in to the wall. He would swear at her. If she was crying he would go like 'f*** up before I stomp on your head'."
Nia was described by Hoana Curtis as a "scared girl" who would not talk or move because she was scared of being struck.
Hoana Curtis said her father would slap Nia in the mouth and make her lip bleed "every single day".
Asked what the worst thing she saw was, Hoana Curtis said: "Nia was sitting on her bed doing nothing. Then Willy [William Curtis] came in disturbed as, and wrapped a scarf around her neck, picked her up until she went purple, than slammed her to the floor."
While held, the girl didn't move or wriggle, "she just hanged there".
Once released she screamed and was told to "f*** up". The incident happened in the lounge or dining area of the house.
"I was on the doorstep having a cigarette. I told my Dad if he ever done it again I'd stab him."
Nobody else was present at the house at the time. Later the mother, Lisa Kuka, was told by Hoana Curtis what happened. "She [Kuka] just went nuts but didn't say anything to my old man."
In his statement, William Curtis denied the allegations, including the scarf incident.
"I accept I've smacked the kids, including Nia, but mostly the two big girls. But Nia only got a smack or pull in the ear, a boot, but not chucked against the wall or anything like that."
Asked about slapping the toddler across the mouth, causing it to bleed, he said: "No, how do I know it wasn't the two girls [sisters] who slapped her."
He said he had never seen anyone abusing Nia, but then said "I can't say yes or no because I'm hardly home and I'm not protecting anyone."
After finding out that Hoana Curtis had made the police statement, Hoana said she heard from her father by way of a phone message.
"The message said 'you're a snitch, you little bitch, I'm coming up there [Auckland] to slit your throat'."
A text message was also sent by William to Hoana in which he threatened to give her a "big arse bash".
The text message was deleted from the phone.
Counsel for William Curtis has conceded there is a case to answer and it is expected a trial date will be set at a court call over on January 30.
Suppression order
In a separate depositions hearing yesterday, a blanket suppression order on evidence covering the killing of Nia Glassie was ordered by Rotorua District Court judge Stanley Thorburn.
Appearing in court for the depositions were the five co-accused: Lisa Kuka, Oriwa Kemp, Michael Pearson (all facing a manslaughter charge), and Michael Curtis and his brother William Curtis (each facing a murder charge).
The judge, crown prosecutor Mark Corlett, and all five defence counsel admitted the move was an "extraordinary" one. However, the judge's hand was forced.
Just after granting media its right to cover the day's evidence, the lawyer for Michael Curtis, Jonathan Temm, pointed out his right to appeal the ruling to the High Court. An interim order suppressing the depositions was made.
