The mother of a 2-year-old girl allegedly murdered by her father told a court she had been concerned about her former partner's mental wellbeing.
Alyson Ager, the mother of 2-year-old Nevaeh Jahkaya Whatukura Ager, made the comment during cross-examination evidence in the High Court at Rotorua yesterday.
Nevaeh's dad Aaron George Izett, 38, is on trial in the High Court at Rotorua, having denied murdering his daughter at Little Waihi, Maketū between March 20 and 21 last year.
Nevaeh's naked body was found by police on the tidal flats at Little Waihi in Maketū on March 21, 2019.
The Crown alleges Izett's "meth rage" led to him killing his daughter and assaulting three other people.
Crown solicitor Anna Pollett earlier said the toddler was the victim of "assault, on assault, on assault" before she was drowned.
A pathologist will give evidence about Nevaeh having suffered severe multiple injuries to her body caused by a weapon or weapons.
She had injuries to her buttocks, face and head, including her lips and ears and there were about eight to 10 blows. She also had neck injuries which indicated the "degree of force".
The Crown alleges after Izett placed Nevaeh's naked body face-down in the water on mudflats he placed two large rocks on top of her and she drowned.
Izett has admitted causing the fatal injuries but has denied murdering his daughter.
Murder accused Aaron George Izett. Photo / File
The defence has argued the Izett lacked murderous intent and should also be found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity at the time of committing the acts.
Izett has also pleaded not guilty to three further charges - wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, assault and injuring with intent to injure.
The assault charge relates to Izett allegedly assaulting Nevaeh's great-grandfather, John Sturgess, on March 20, 2019, when he and his wife visited the address.
The other two charges relate to the alleged assaults of a police constable and Jacob Reid, a neighbour in Maketū, between March 18 and March 21 last year.
During cross-examination by Izett's lawyer Julie-Anne Kincade QC yesterday, Ager said since Nevaeh was born, she was essentially her fulltime carer and the one who fed her and changed her nappies 90 per cent of the time.
She and her Nevaeh used to spend 24 hours a day together, she said.
Ager said on the day she went into labour, it had a been a big surprise to her and Izett and there wasn't a birth plan in place nor a bag packed.
She confirmed it was fair to say that as far as she could tell Izett was "panicking and freaking out" when he made a frantic 111 call as he didn't want to have to deliver her baby.
Yesterday, the jury heard the call made by Izett to St John Ambulance on March 18, 2019, the day Ager went into labour six weeks before her due date.
During the 30-minute phone call, Izett made a number of claims, including telling the 111 operator that he was a multimillionaire, the head of the Hells Angels, a prophet and the "biggest president in New Zealand".
Izett told St John that Ager was going to die if she "didn't get f****** here fast mate".
"I own, I own this company, I am the biggest president in New Zealand ... I am your company boss. What is your name and number. I will write that s*** down."
When the operator asked how Alyson was doing now, Izett repeatedly kept asking for her name, rank and number to take the matter higher up with her boss.
"I don't care, you are not listening. Don't give me f****** (inaudible) she's going to die if you don't hurry the f*** up."
Ager gave birth to her son in the ambulance on the side of Te Puke highway.
She said she was "shocked" to learn from Izett's mother that when the police went to their Tio Pl home on March 21, her former partner was found naked in public, something that had "never" happened before.
Ager said Izett's behaviour when taking meth was sometimes odd and she confirmed she had spoken to Izett's mother about her concern for his mental wellbeing.
She said Izett had claimed to be a trillionaire mainly while talking about his father and had also often described himself as a king.
Ager said her grandparents had been concerned about Izett's demeanour, the state of the house and for Nevaeh's welfare when they visited after her son was born.
During the visit, Izett allegedly struck Sturgess in the face and arm, the court heard.
Ager said the plan was for her and Nevaeh to go and stay with her mother in Hastings to recover from the birth and having a blood transfusion after delivery.
During questioning by Crown prosecutor Anna Pollett, Ager said Izett regularly used meth nearly every week, consuming it using a glass pipe in a kitchen/dining area which he called the office. He also used cannabis.
She said Izett could be up for a couple of days after consuming meth, and he talked a lot and then crashed when he finally slept.
"He was fine if he wasn't on the meth and seemed normal to me."
Ager said when Izett was coming off the meth, he seemed "scattered, all over the place".
Ager said Nevaeh was sleeping when she left and it was the last time she saw her daughter, who was "perfectly fine" and she was a "good, normal and happy child".
"She was friendly and wasn't shy. I describe her as a social butterfly and anyone whose path she crossed, she put a smile on their face."
Ager said she tried to call Izett several times after having her son, but got no response.
"When I saw the cops I jumped out of the car and ran towards the house but could not get close because of the cordon but when I saw all the people dressed in white I knew something bad had happened,'' she said.
