Te Kūiti baby death: Funeral held for Mustafa Ali as homicide investigation continues

• Baby Mustafa’s funeral has taken place today in Te Kūiti.
• An initial examination showed the 10-month-old suffered violent, blunt-force trauma.
• The father claims he may have caused some of the injuries that led to the death of his baby on Saturday while administering CPR.
• Nobody has been charged in relation to the baby’s death.

Baby Mustafa Ali has been farewelled at a funeral in Te Kūiti today, five days after suffering “violent, blunt-force trauma” at the home he shared with his parents and two others.

The service was held at a Christian church where hymns were sung as part of the programme.

Garlands of white and blue balloons decorated the building entrance and a banner with Mustafa’s picture was on display inside.

Around 100 people attended today’s service, many wearing T-shirts printed with Mustafa’s face.

Blue and white flowers and balloons adorned the church where baby Mustafa Ali was farewelled.

His funeral follows a family service last night at their home.

The Herald understands baby Mustafa’s coffin was surrounded by blue and white balloons and he was dressed in a white suit, wearing a white beanie.

He lay on a blanket with a picture of a blue sky, complete with clouds and a rainbow.

Around 100 people attended the funeral for 10-month-old Mustafa Ali.

A person with knowledge of the situation said the mother’s family had organised the wider funeral.

Things were tense, he told the Herald, but he hoped the funeral went smoothly for the sake of the baby.

He said the father was “still shocked” and had been trying to piece together what had happened.

”He’s sad, devastated and I think he said he feels that he’s being cornered for now.”

Mukzameel Ali holding baby Mustafa Maheir Mukzameel Ali, who police say died a violent death on Saturday, June 8.

A homicide investigation into baby Mustafa Ali’s death is under way and police said on Tuesday a post-mortem examination would take several days due to the extent of his injuries.

The child’s father, Mukzameel Ali, told Stuff yesterday he may have caused some of the injuries that led to his infant son’s death while administering CPR.

He earlier denied any involvement in Mustafa’s death.

“There must be something else ... like, behind my back or something,” he told Stuff.

His son could not breathe and was starting to choke, Ali said.

“So when I was giving him the CPR, that would’ve caused that injury to become more big and cause his death.

“The only thing I was doing – like, I was trying my best to save my son. That’s all I can say,” he said.

White balloons have been tied to fences outside Te Kūiti homes as a community tribute to baby Mustafa. Photo / Mike Scott

In an interview on Monday, Ali told Stuff he had started tapping on his son’s back and bottom to try to wake him.

“If that could’ve happened from me, from doing it... but that wasn’t on purpose. I was trying to save him.”

Mustafa had been known to police due to previous “non-accidental” injuries.

Detective Inspector Graham Pitkethley said police were notified around October and conducted a “number of reviews” into that incident.

Detective Inspector Graham Pitkethley is leading the homicide investigation. Photo / Mike Scott

Pitkethley said he wanted to hear from anyone who “heard the screams from the home” on Saturday, the day Mustafa died.

Earlier, he said an initial examination showed Mustafa had suffered violent, blunt-force trauma.

“We believe these injuries were not accidental.”