Lisa Kuka. Photo / Rotorua Daily Post
Nia Glassie's mother, Lisa Kuka, told police she saw others abusing her daughter but turned a blind eye.
In a video interview, Kuka said she thought about taking Nia away from the house where the abuse was happening but her loyalties lay with her boyfriend Wiremu Curtis, who
is accused of Nia's murder.
Kuka also admitted failing to take Nia to hospital or a doctor when she was injured.
The 35-year-old is on trial for 3-year-old Nia's manslaughter after allegedly failing to protect her from violence and failing to get her medical treatment.
Nia died in Auckland's Starship hospital on August 3 last year.
On October 9, in a fifth video interview played to the High Court at Rotorua yesterday, Kuka changed her story and admitted she saw Nia being subjected to a wrestling move called a pedigree.
She said the move involved Nia's head being placed between an adult's legs and her body slammed upside-down on to a mattress.
"I turned a blind eye," Kuka said. "[I] thought Wiremu would never hurt [Nia], never hurt [her], and yes, I was in love with him."
Kuka told police she had also seen Nia being hit by Oriwa Kemp, who is also charged with Nia's manslaughter.
"I'm not saying I never ever smacked her, but I never smacked her like that," Kuka said.
"What did she do?" the interviewing officer, Detective Sergeant Garry Hawkins, asked.
"It was just the way she used to whack, whack, whack Nia," Kuka replied.
"How did she whack her?" Mr Hawkins asked.
Kuka: "With [an] open hand across the face, across the head, across the back. Why? Because she was ugly."
Mr Hawkins: "Did they say that?"
Kuka: "Oriwa says that a lot."
Kuka said Nia would cry when hit and the other accused would tell her to shut up.
