Murdered Tot's Spin Dryer Torture in New Zealnd

Murdered Tot's Spin Dryer Torture

12:25pm UK, Tuesday November 18, 2008

Two brothers have been convicted of murdering a three-year-old girl after months of abuse, including spinning the tot in a tumble dryer.

Three-year-old Nia Glassie suffered months of abuse

The case in New Zealand exposed a circle of family neglect involving the girl's mother, who was found guilty of manslaughter because she failed to protect her child.

Justice Judith Potter wept in court as she thanked the clearly shaken jury after the verdicts were read out.

Nia Glassie died of brain injuries in a hospital in August last year, two weeks after being kicked in the head by Wiremu Curtis, 19, and his 22-year-old brother Michael.

The youngster's mother Lisa Kuka, 35, shared a house with her boyfriend Wiremu Curtis, his brother and other adults.

The brothers face life behind bars after being found guilty of murder and child cruelty in Rotorua High Court. Kuka is facing 10 years in prison.

She was bullied in the worst kind of way. She was singled out, for what reason we do not know.

- Prosecutor Fletcher Pilditch

Nia's cousin, Michael Pearson, 20, and Michael Curtis' partner, 18-year-old Oriwa Kemp - who also lived in the house with the toddler - were found guilty of child cruelty.

The child suffered abuse "amounting to torture".

She was slapped, punched, kicked, flung against a wall and held high in the air before being dropped to the floor.

The child was also spun at inside a hot clothes dryer and whirled rapidly on a rotary clothesline until she was flung off and, at one point, was left lying unconscious for 36 hours without medical attention.

Prosecutor Fletcher Pilditch said: "She was bullied in the worst kind of way. She was singled out, for what reason we do not know."

New Zealand's Children's Commissioner, Dr Cindy Kiro, said the case was shocking because other adults knew the abuse was going on and did nothing about it.

"Both family members and neighbours were aware of the neglect and abuse Nia was subject to," she said in a statement.

"That they didn't speak out in time is something they will have to live with."

The b*****ds.

My God.

Truly truly sick

How can someone sit back and watch this happen? If I suspected any abuse like that, I would ring the police, as often as I had to. I would report it to Community Services. I wouldnt let up until something happened. This is different to the Baby P case, where the extended family had no idea what was going on. In this case, they knew, and did nothing.

Poor little baby, she is in a better place now. And once again, where were the child welfare services. I understand that in the some communities in NZ abuse is common and goes unreported. So why arent more stringent checks done.

And once again I have to say. If people knew they were going to go to gaol for the rest of their lives for harming their children, then maybe they wouldnt do it. As with Baby P's mother, she thinks she will be home by Xmas, when in reality she will be lucky to see the outside of a gaol for at least 10 years. And it should be life. A life for a life. How can these people be so ignorant to not understand the harm they are doing to the child. If they care so little for the child that they wont take care of her (or him) then they at least need to be made to understand that their own lives will be ruined, and they will spend an enormous amount of their lives in gaol. They are obviously selfish people, so they must be educated in such a way that they understand, and appealing to their selfishness (self preservation) is the IMO the way to do it.

now imo each and everyone of those sick twisted b@stards needs to be tortured back the exact same way. Thats really p/ssed me off.This is sick and that child must have been terrified beyond imagination.Her mother is a no good for nothing piece of sh/t who should be sterilised along with the rest of those arr@holes. They should never be allowed to be freed from jail.I hope they are all haunted by that child's cries for the rest of their lives.


RIP little angel sleep tight,no more hurt for you. :sendingulove: :sendingulove: :sendingulove: