Nia Glassie abuser pregnant again months after having newborn taken by CYF

Oriwa Kemp appears at Manukau District Court in January 2017 New Zealand Herald Photograph by Michael Craig.

A woman jailed for her role in the abuse and death of murdered Rotorua toddler Nia Glassie is pregnant again, just months after Child Youth and Family removed a child from her care at birth.

Oriwa Kemp was 19 when she was sent to prison for her part in Nia's brutal death in 2007.

During her High Court trial the court heard how Kemp gave Nia freezing cold baths, hit the toddler when she cried and was there - but did not intervene - when the girl was placed in a clothes drier that was turned on, and spun around on a clothesline.

She was found guilty of assaulting the 3-year-old and sentenced to three years and four months in prison.

Nia Glassie. Photograph supplied

At the time Kemp had one child who was taken in to Child Youth and Family care.

The child remains in care.

Since Nia died Kemp has had three more children, all removed from her care by CYF soon after birth.

The Herald on Sunday revealed in November that Kemp's fourth child was born late last year and was also removed by CYF at birth.

It is now understood Kemp, now 27, is pregnant again.

Two separate sources confirmed this week that she has told people she is expecting, and is about three months into her latest pregnancy.

The grave of murdered toddler Nia Glassie in Tokoroa. Rotorua Daily Post Picture by Andrew Warner

The father is said to be her long term on-off partner - a man in his 60s who fathered several of her other children.

Kemp was recently convicted of assaulting the man.

The assault took place in early 2016 when she was 4 months pregnant.

He is also facing family violence charges relating to Kemp.

CYF Auckland regional director Sharon Thom would not comment on the specifics.

"If it was confirmed that Ms Kemp was pregnant again, CYF would be involved," she said.

"The baby's welfare would be the first and paramount consideration."

Thom said any decision made would be based on what is in the child's best interests, and would be overseen by the Family Court.

"The decisions wouldn't be discussed in the public domain," she said.

In November she confirmed a newborn had been taken from Kemp and was in CYF custody.

"We can confirm that Ms Kemp has no children in her care," Thom told the Herald on Sunday at the time.

"Ms Kemp is well aware of the reasons why her children are not in her care."

Oriwa Kemp photographed at her sentencing for her role in Nia Glassie's brutal death. Rotorua Daily Post photograph by Stephen Parker

Kemp was approached for comment about her pregnancy through her lawyer.

She did not respond.

When Nia was killed Kemp was in a relationship with Michael Curtis, the brother of the toddler's mother's partner Wiremu Curtis.

Kemp and Nia's cousin Michael Pearson were initially charged with the child's manslaughter.

A jury found them not guilty of that charge but guilty of assaulting the little girl.

The abuse was mainly perpetrated by the Curtis brothers.

Most of the abuse happened while Nia's mother Lisa Kuka was at work.

Kuka was also convicted of two counts of manslaughter following her young daughter's death and jailed for nine years.

Lisa Kuka, the mother of murdered toddler Nia Glassie. Rotorua Daily Post photograph by Stephen Parker

She was eventually released, but recalled to prison last year after she breached her parole conditions.