Man blamed 2-year-old for toddler's death, court told

A man accused of murdering a 14-month-old girl while her mother was Christmas shopping initially told relatives the child had died at the hands of her two-year-old cousin.

Demis Peter Paul, 24, is charged with murder following the death of Mereana Clements-Matete on December 22 last year.

He denies the charge.

Mereana was admitted to Palmerston North Hospital with internal injuries around 8pm and pronounced dead later that night.

At a depositions hearing in Palmerston North District Court yesterday, Crown prosecutor Fiona Guy said Mereana died of injuries to the bowel and intestines, likely inflicted by a blow of "immense force".

Paul was living with Mereana's mother Kim Matete at the time of her death, and had been babysitting the girl, her brother Jade, now seven, and cousin Caleb, then two.

About 6.30pm Jade and Caleb were seen playing outside the house, but five minutes later Paul arrived at a neighbour's house carrying Mereana and asking for someone to call an ambulance.

Emergency service workers could not find a heartbeat, Ms Guy told the court.

It is alleged Paul later told family members and police that he had been cooking dinner when he heard what sounded like Mereana gasping for air.

When he went to the bedroom, he claimed to have seen Caleb jumping on Mereana, at one point landing bottom-first on Mereana's stomach.

Kim Matete said she had known Paul for about three years and by September last year was sharing a house with him and members of her extended family.

She said she and her sister returned home on the night of December 22 and were told to go straight to the hospital.

When she arrived, Paul claimed he had heard Mereana gagging and vomiting. He said Caleb had been jumping on her bed at the time, and he had attempted to perform CPR on the infant.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel Duncan Harvey, Mrs Matete said Caleb and Mereana had got along "okay" and there appeared to be "no real problems" between them.

Caleb had been what she called an "ongoing" child who adults had to keep an eye on.

Caleb's mother, Katrina Matete, said she had seen Caleb jumping on beds before, but said he knew not to jump on them while people were sleeping.

She said she had originally believed Paul's claim that Caleb had jumped on Mereana, until she learned the extent of the little girl's injuries.

The trial is proceeding.

- nzpa