Accused says she didn't hurt toddler

A woman who is on trial for murdering a three-year-old boy in her care told police she never laid a hand on him, a court was told today.

Patricia Angela Pickering, 38, has pleaded not guilty in the High Court at Auckland to murdering Dylan Hohepa Tonga Rimoni, two charges of causing him grievous bodily harm, and one of assault.

Pickering was Dylan's caregiver. The toddler died of brain injuries in Auckland's Starship Hospital on April 18, 2008.

A police interview with Pickering on April 19, 2008, was played to the jury today.

During the interview, Detective Constable Joanne Martin asked Pickering what happened on the night she called an ambulance.

Pickering said she was really scared and she didn't want to let Dylan go.

She told Ms Martin that Dylan's breathing sounded chesty, and he was sick shortly after 11pm on April 16, 2008. She said she called for an ambulance within half an hour of him being sick.

Pickering said Dylan looked like he was fainting.

Ms Martin asked Pickering if Dylan was responding to her.

"I was trying to hold him because he was floppy," Pickering said.

Ms Martin asked Pickering if she shouted at him.

Pickering said she was trying to focus on getting to the phone to call the ambulance.

"At any time did you shake Dylan?" Ms Martin asked.

She said she was moving him around a bit, but she said she did not shake him.

"I didn't know what was wrong with my son," Pickering said.

Ms Martin asked her about injuries Dylan had on his body, including a fractured toe and a fractured leg.

He had brusing to the left cheek, which Pickering said he suffered after he banged into a door frame.

"Dylan's bruises do last a while and I don't know why," Pickering said.

He also had a fainter bruise on his right cheek, which Pickering said he got when he banged into a table.

He also had lots of scars on his body. Pickering said he had been scratched by the family's dog.

"What did you do about the dog jumping on him?" Ms Martin asked.

Pickering said she tried to keep the dog away from Dylan.

She said he had previously suffered a cut to his mouth after the dog jumped on him and he "dropped to the ground", which happened several months previously.

Ms Martin asked Pickering if she had considered getting rid of the dog.

She said she had not because having the dog made her feel safe at night as she didn't have an alarm.

The cause of Dylan's death was a traumatic head injury, which was non-accidental, according to medical professionals, Ms Martin told Pickering during the interview.

"We believe that someone is responsible for this and we want to know what happened," Ms Martin told Pickering.

"What can you tell me?" Ms Martin asked Pickering.

"I don't know. I never laid a hand on Dylan ever," Pickering said during the interview.

"You've either got the answers or you're covering for someone," Ms Martin said.

Pickering said she was not covering for anybody.

An indent was found on a door in Pickering's house and a hair was found inside it, Ms Martin said.

"At any time have you ever swung Dylan round and hit his head on the door?", Ms Martin asked Pickering.

She said she had not, and added that her partner Douglas Hoeta and her brother Adam Pickering had not either.

Pickering is on trial before a jury of seven men and five women. The trial is expected to run for another two weeks.

- NZPA