KEY POINTS:
The words of the song rang out loud and clear across the cold Tokoroa cemetery.
"Little darling, don't you cry no more," the mourners sang, as Nia Maria Glassie's small white coffin was carried to her grave.
Nia was buried yesterday, six days after she died in Auckland's Starship hospital after allegedly suffering horrific abuse.
The 3-year-old was laid to rest near her paternal great-grandfather as about 500 mourners looked on in drizzling rain.
Many carried flowers and teddy bears, including one with messages written on cardboard hearts.
"Nia, why did those who saw so much do so little to keep you with the living," a message read. "You were a gift to this world. RIP."
The pallbearers who carried Nia to the freshly dug grave were from the family of her mother, Lisa Kuka, who buried her head in a child's pink jacket as the coffin was lowered into the ground. Nia's father, Glassie Glassie jnr, wore a red baseball cap with his daughter's name embroidered on the front.
Nia was named after Mr Glassie, who is known as Junior. Nia was a shortened version of his Cook Islands name, Junia.
Earlier, members of his family carried the coffin into the church where her funeral was held.
The casket was decorated with dolphin and star stickers and draped in a Cook Islands flag and flower lei.
The St Lukes Pacific Island Presbyterian Church was packed to overflowing with family and friends who came from as far away as Australia and the Cook Islands to farewell the toddler.
English, Maori, Cook Island Maori and Samoan hymns were sung in her honour, while children blew bubbles with bubble toys and laughed.
Nia's parents sat on either side of her coffin.
Minister Anthony McMillan, of Auckland's Living Faith Church, spoke of how Nia was a blessing. "Now the blessing must flow," he said. "Let the peace continue. When we put baby in the ground, let your rarurus, your upsets, go with them."
Mr McMillan said children learned by example and he urged people to look after their children. "Your hand is to bless, not to harm."
Inquiry head Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Loper said police were awaiting post-mortem results before deciding whether further charges would be laid.
Siblings may go to Australia
Nia Glassie's siblings may go and live with their father, Glassie Glassie jnr, in Australia.
His aunt, Iva Singsam, yesterday said Mr Glassie and Nia's mother, Lisa Kuka, were discussing who their remaining three children would live with.
Nia and her two sisters, 8-year-old Esther and 10-year-old Jessie, were living with Ms Kuka in Rotorua before Nia was admitted to hospital.
The 3-year-old died on August 3 after almost two weeks in a coma. She allegedly suffered months of abuse including being spun in a tumble dryer.
Esther and Jessie are in the care of another Kuka family member, and police are investigating if the two girls too were abused.
Nia's brother, Jerome, 11, lives with Mr Glassie's parents in Tokoroa. Mr Glassie has lived in Australia for two years.
Ms Singsam said a report in the Herald that he now planned to stay in Tokoroa was incorrect.
She said she wished to correct information that Nia's body was covered in a traditional cloak in her casket. The covering was a Cook Island pareu.
