Father 'didn't know' of baby's injury

A father accused of murder after the death of his 11-week-old daughter told police he did not know how she suffered a brain fracture, a court was told today.

Tahani Mahomed was admitted to hospital with severe head injuries on December 28, 2007. She died four days later.

Her south Auckland parents were unable to explain how their daughter had been hurt.

Crown prosecutor Phil Hamlin said the baby's head had been forced violently against a hard, "unforgiving" surface.

Her father, Azees Mahomed, 31, is accused of murder and two counts of causing the baby grievous bodily harm - in one instance breaking her leg by apparently twisting it violently and in the other by inflicting head injuries that caused brain damage.

He faces an additional charge of failing to provide the necessaries of life.

His wife Tabbasum, 26, also faces this charge, but is not accused of murder.

The court heard today a police interview between Detective Constable Tobias Stallworthy and Azees Mahomed. Mahomed was questioned about who had hurt Tahani in the previous seven days.

Mr Stallworthy said the doctors at the hospital told police that Tahani had suffered a skull fracture which she received four to seven days earlier. The retinas in her eyes were detached, which had happened a number of days previously.

The doctors did not believe that Tahani's injuries could have happened by accident, Mr Stallworthy said.

"She didn't just roll off the bed and hit her head. Something happened to her," Mr Stallworthy told Mahomed.

"Both her retinas have become detached and she had blood in her eyes. According to the medical experts at the hospital, this was a sign she had been shaken. Things like this just don't happen."

Tahani weighed 3.8kg when she was born. When she was admitted to hospital 11-weeks later she weighed just 200g more.

Doctors at the hospital thought she was very malnourished and she hadn't been eating properly for a long time, Mr Stallworthy said.

During the interview Mahomed told Mr Stallworthy that only he and his wife looked after Tahani.

Tahani would stop crying when he gave her a bottle of formula and he did not need to discipline her because she was well behaved.

He said he could not say how Tahani received the injuries. He did not believe she was blind before she was taken to hospital.

He denied ever shaking Tahani.

"She wasn't crying, she was just playing. I've no idea how this happened. We know nothing at all." Mahomed said.

The trial is proceeding.

- NZPA