Baby Ru death: New search evidence ‘significantly advanced’ police investigation

Critical evidence found last month as part of the investigation into the unsolved killing of Baby Ru has now “significantly advanced” the inquiry into the Lower Hutt toddler’s death, police have confirmed.

On October 25, a year and three days after Baby Ru died shortly after arriving at Hutt Hospital’s emergency department, police announced a major breakthrough in the case.

A targeted search of a semi-rural area north of Wellington sparked by unspecified new information had uncovered critical evidence in the murder investigation, police said.

The discovery was made in an area of Upper Hutt off State Highway 58, about 20 minutes north from the Taita home where Ru lived and suffered the injuries that caused his death on October 22 last year, two days short of his second birthday.

On Saturday, a police spokeswoman told the Herald the new evidence had led to major progress in the investigation.

“I can confirm the case was significantly advanced by the new items found,” the spokeswoman said.

Police did not specify the nature of the items found in their release last month.

“Items of property highly relevant to the homicide investigation were located during the search and are undergoing forensic examination,” they said in a release.

“This was information that wasn’t available when Ru died. Part of that work included searching for items that have been deliberately concealed.”

Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard gives an update on the Baby Ru (inset) case last year. Police have repeatedly appealed for sightings of the Nissan Sentra pictured on October 22 last year. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Police wouldn’t say what the new information was, but confirmed it did not come from the public.

Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard said at the time police hoped the latest development would jog people’s memory, especially those on Moonshine Rd.

“Our message to them is please contact us if you saw something out of place on October 22 last year.”

Police have also appealed for sightings of the vehicle they believe carried away items from the crime scene, a grey-green 1994 Nissan Sentra, registration TE6972.

The items police have been seeking included a duvet cover, strap, hard drive used to record CCTV footage at the house, and a power back-up unit. It was not known at the time whether these items had been destroyed or hidden.

In February, Pritchard said police believed they knew who cleaned up the crime scene.

However, they did not have enough evidence to charge anyone.

Baby Ru's family kept a spot for him at the table on Christmas Day. Photo / Ngatanahira Reremoana.

Ruthless-Empire Souljah Reign Rhind Shephard Wall, or “Baby Ru” – since officially named Nga Reo Te Huatahi Reremoana Ahipene-Wall – died on October 22, last year.

Rosie Morunga and her partner Dylan Ross were at the house with Ru’s mother at the time of the incident which claimed the boy’s life.

According to police, they remain the only “persons of interest” in the case.

Morunga posted on her Instagram story late last month with the caption: “Missed dearly aunty is so sorry boy I couldn’t save you. Aunty and uncle will get justice.”

In another post, she wrote, “One year and it won’t get any easier”, against an image of a baby holding a woman’s hand.

Also last month, the toddler’s mother Storm Wall told Three News she wasn’t involved in her child’s death and wanted whoever was responsible for killing Ru to “tell the truth”.

“He was only 1, turning 2. Three more days. Justice is all we need.”

Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.