Accused says 'daughters lied' about child-bashing

Child bashing accused Itupa Julie Mikaio told a jury today that she doesn't know how her four-year-old son sustained the injuries that nearly killed him.

An Auckland woman accused of inflicting head injuries which almost caused the death of her four-year-old son has told a jury her daughters were lying when they said she hit him.

Itupa Julie Mikaio, 40, of Blockhouse Bay, gave evidence at her trial in the High Court at Auckland today.

She denies charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and failing to provide the necessaries of life to the child.

Mikaio was charged after her son Benjamin Mikaio was taken to Starship Hospital unconscious with head injuries that could have been fatal on June 30 last year.

She has admitted a charge of injuring with intent, causing injuries to his body by striking him with a shoe.

Questioned by her counsel Ted Faleauto, Mikaio told the court she didn't know how her son got his head injury and she denied slapping him.

She told the court she has six children, the youngest is nine months old. She came to New Zealand with her husband and other children in 2005 from American Samoa.

Asked by her counsel about her daughter's statement that she slapped Benjamin on the head twice that day.

"I never slapped or hit him that day," Mikaio said.

"Did you chuck his head on the ground?", Mr Faleauto asked.

"That's not true," Mikaio said.

"Your daughter said you told her not to tell the truth to your husband," Mr Faleauto asked Mikaio.

"That's not true," she said.

Cross examined by Crown Prosecutor Deborah Marshall about her statement to police that she didn't know how Ben had been injured.

"But that wasn't true was it?", Ms Marshall asked.

"No," Mikaio said.

"You didn't tell them about hitting him with the shoe because you were scared?" Ms Marshall asked.

"If you thought he had a broken back, why did you wait five hours?"

Mikaio said she did not think the injuries were that serious.

Mr Faleauto told the jury they had to consider how Benjamin sustained his head injury.

"When she found her son Benjamin had collapsed, she couldn't see any blood or broken bones. All she knew was that he had fallen."

Earlier Mikaio told police Benjamin had fainted and fallen backwards onto his head on the morning of June 30, and made no noise when he was checked.

After midday she took him along with the family to a Samoan healer who said she should call the ambulance.

The Crown alleges Mikaio was angry after Benjamin wet his bed that she hit him on the head and then threw him to the floor, causing injuries that would have killed him if he hadn't received surgery later that day.

The Crown also says Mikaio delayed seeking medical help for some hours because she feared having to answer questions about how he was injured.

- NZPA