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The little boy at the centre of a suspected child abuse fatality was a happy, energetic child who loved playing rugby league, family members say.
Police and ambulance staff were called to a Housing New Zealand flat in Nelson at 11.40am on Wednesday and spent half an hour desperately trying to resuscitate 7-year-old Duwayne Toetu Taote Pailegutu.
But their efforts to save the former South Auckland boy's life failed, and a homicide investigation was started.
Speaking to the Herald at the Mangere home Duwayne used to stay at on weekends, family members said they were angry and saddened by the death.
Duwayne's aunt, Amy Pailegutu, 23, said Duwayne was an outgoing child who loved playing with his younger cousins.
Ms Pailegutu said her nephew had a lot of character, and used to perform hip-hop-style dance moves known as "krumping".
"He used to make us laugh when he came over. He entertained us."
Ms Pailegutu said Duwayne also loved to play "racing cars and fighting" games on PlayStation 2.
Close family friend Tony Pritchard said that although young, Duwayne was a skilled rugby league player.
"He was a sporty guy, a little funny fella. He was into his league. He had his Dad's talent."
Duwayne's stepfather, a 37-year-old Nelson labourer, appeared in the Nelson District Court yesterday charged with assault.
Detectives considering the results of a post-mortem examination done yesterday said last night that they would not know what charges were likely until after a meeting this morning to discuss the findings.
The accused man was granted temporary name suppression so he could tell his family and gather medical files.
Charges may also be laid against the boy's mother.
Child, Youth and Family staff confirmed that they were contacted twice about a Nelson family before an alleged assault on a 7-year-old boy by his stepfather.
But they said neither "notification" indicated that the boy was at risk, and other agencies had been involved in supporting the family.
Nayland Primary School principal Darryl Smith told the Nelson Mail that Duwayne had been at the school for two terms.
He was a "warm, energetic, friendly boy with a big smile".
Yesterday, outside the family's flat in Fergusson St in the suburb of Stoke, a bouquet of flowers lay at the end of the driveway with a card saying "To the Family". The dwelling remained under police cordon.
The case is the second suspected child abuse inquiry this week.
An Avondale boy admitted to the Starship hospital on Monday with head injuries, fractures to his pelvis and internal bleeding remained in a drug-induced coma yesterday.
