Murder accused dropped baby in bath, court told

A man accused of murdering his seven-month-old daughter says he dropped her into a bath after slipping and knocking himself unconscious.

Kevin Joseph Charles Little, 27, of Kaitangata, South Otago, is charged with murdering Alyssa Patricia Little-Murphy on March 25.

The Crown says Little was bathing his daughter at about 10am that day while the baby's mother, Chontelle Murphy, was gardening outside the home.

Nelson District Court was told today that Ms Murphy heard a loud moan from Little in the bathroom, went inside and found him standing in the bathroom with a towel around his waist.

He was staring at Alyssa, who was floating face down in the bath water.

Ms Murphy grabbed the baby, was limp and blue, out of the water. She asked Little, "What did you do?" and he replied "I don't know", the court heard.

She took the baby into a bedroom, placed her on a changing table and attempted CPR. She told Little to ruing 111 but he was incoherent and Ms Murphy had to speak to the 111 operator herself.

Blood and water was coming from Alyssa's mouth as CPR was administered.

Ms Murphy said she saw Little standing naked in the doorway with a towel held at his front, saying "My baby, my baby".

The Crown said that, asked by neighbours what had happened, Little replied: "I killed my baby. She's dead, she's dead."

When interviewed by police on March 28 he explained he went to get out of the bath with the baby on his hip and must have slipped and knocked himself unconscious and in doing so dropped his daughter back into the bath water, the court was told.

In the weeks prior to Alyssa's death Ms Murphy had sought to have Little evicted from her home but she said he had refused to leave and had threatened to take Alyssa into his sole care, the court heard.

The depositions hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to go to trial is expected to last for five days.

The Crown plans to introduce evidence from 26 witnesses.