Uncle tells of family split after toddler's brutal death

Patricia Pickering breaks down after been found guilty of the murder of 3-year-old Dylan Rimoni. Photo / Dean Purcell.

The family who gave 3-year-old Dylan Rimoni to Patricia Pickering - who murdered him by smashing his head against a hard surface - have been "torn apart" with guilt and anger since his death.

Dylan's uncle, Matthew Ryan, gave him to Pickering, 38, and her partner Douglas Hoeta hoping they would provide a happy, stable home for the little boy.

Things started well and almost a year passed before neighbours reported hearing loud screaming and shouting from the Pukekohe home.

Within weeks Dylan was brain-dead in hospital, victim of a violent assault that left his brain swollen and bleeding.

Prosecutors said he was slammed against a hard, unforgiving surface such as a wall or floor with "significant" force.

A post mortem examination revealed previous head injuries, a broken foot and a pattern of unusual bruising and scarring.

Pickering was jailed yesterday for life for the murder. She must serve at least 17 years in prison before she becomes eligible for parole.

In a victim impact statement read at her sentencing in the High Court at Auckland, Mr Ryan said he blamed himself for placing Dylan with Pickering.

The boy's death had caused a rift between family members, some of whom blamed him and Dylan's maternal grandmother, Sonia Joseph.

Both said they found Pickering's lack of an explanation for her actions and the absence of remorse distressing.

Ms Joseph's statement said she cried every night for Dylan, had quit her job because of the emotional stress and had bad dreams since he died.

Jasmine Tonga, Dylan's mother, said the death had "torn apart what used to be a close family".

Justice Edwin Wylie said Dylan's death had caused disquiet among right-thinking members of society.

"Crimes against young children are regrettably all too common in our society. There can be no excuse for abusing a child."

Through her lawyer, Frank Hogan, Pickering told the court she had never, ever harmed Dylan.

"From the time he came to live with her ... she loved Dylan fully and dearly and at no time did she ever assault or harm Dylan."

As her sentence was read out, there were murmurs of approval from some in the public gallery and soft clapping that angered supporters of Pickering who yelled out in her defence, prompting Justice Wylie to call for silence.

The judge said Pickering had held previous jobs working with children, including those with special needs, and was devastated when her brother was murdered in the1990s.

But he was concerned that, accordingto a pre-sentence report, she had not shown any remorse or empathy about Dylan'sdeath.

Detective Sergeant Dave Lynch said Dylan had a tragic life, and death. The family were pleased the trial process was over.

"There's a lot of regret and I think they feel a bit of guilt in terms of Dylan's earlier life about the decisions that were made to adopt him out."

Mr Lynch said assertions by Mr Hogan of inadequacies in the police investigation, made in his closing address, were false and were corrected by the judge in his summing up.