Fresh charges relating to alleged abuse of two other children have been laid against four of the five people accused of killing Rotorua toddler Nia Glassie.
The five appeared in the High Court at Rotorua yesterday for arraignment on charges relating to 3-year-old Nia's death in August.
The group pleaded not guilty through their lawyers to an array of murder, manslaughter, assault and cruelty charges, electing not to have an indictment detailing the charges read to the court.
A copy of the indictment released to the Herald after the hearing by Justice Mark Cooper reveals that four of the five - brothers Wiremu and Michael Curtis, Michael's girlfriend Oriwa Kemp, and Nia's cousin Michael Pearson - are facing fresh charges in relation to alleged abuse of two other children.
The youngsters cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Nia's mother Lisa Kuka, who is charged with her daughter's manslaughter, also faces an additional charge of failing to seek medical treatment for the 3-year-old.
In all, the indictment lists 20 charges of assault on a child by the defendants.
Nia was allegedly spun on a clothesline and in a tumble drier before she died, and the indictment says the Curtis brothers murdered her between July 20 and August 3.
Kemp and Pearson are accused of being parties to unlawful acts committed by the brothers between May 21 and August 3, leading to their charge of manslaughter.
Kuka's manslaughter charge arises from allegedly failing to take reasonable steps to protect her daughter from violence in the same period.
Nia was admitted to Rotorua Hospital on July 21 and was moved to Auckland's Starship, where she died on August 3.
Tentative trial dates in October and November were floated at yesterday's hearing, but Crown prosecutor Fletcher Pilditch warned that time pressure on the High Court meant the trial could be delayed until next year.
Several other defendants awaiting trial were put off for a third or fourth callover to allow time for the Crown to juggle the already tight trial schedule at Rotorua this year.
One drugs trial was to require six weeks.
A further callover for the five accused was set for next month, but their appearance was excused.
Lawyers indicated they would file applications for a change of trial venue on the basis of adverse publicity of the case in Rotorua.
The five were further remanded in custody, except Kuka, who is out on bail.
Meanwhile, the Curtis brothers' father, William - who is charged with earlier abuse of Nia but was out on bail - appeared in the Rotorua District Court on unrelated burglary charges.
He was sentenced to three months in prison for the offences.