By ALISON HORWOOD
A forensic pathologist discovered more than 90 bruises and abrasions on the corpse of Wairarapa toddler Hinewaoriki Karaitiana-Matiaha.
Dr Kenneth Thomson found that even her tongue and the hood of her clitoris were not free from bruising, the Masterton District Court learned yesterday.
Four baby teeth were loose and she had several fingerprint marks and a fingernail indentation on her scalp.
Dr Thomson concluded that the 23-month-old died from cerebral damage, but had internal haemorrhaging, including that of the abdomen, bowel and hymen, a previous vaginal injury and a "multitude" of abrasions.
Paediatrician Dr Dawn Elder, who assisted with the autopsy, said the child - nicknamed Lillybing - suffered life-threatening genital injuries from a penetrating object such as a penis or knife-handle.
Plastic surgeon Dr Gary Duncan said a burn on Lillybing's face might have been caused by hot metal or a glutinous material. The pain would have been severe and the burn probably occurred at least 24 hours before her death.
The doctors' written evidence was presented to the court yesterday at a depositions hearing to determine whether three people will go on trial.
The toddler's step-aunts, Rachaelle Namana and Rongomai Paewai, each face one charge of manslaughter, three of wilful injury and two of failing to provide the necessaries of life.
David Hemopo faces one charge of failing to provide the necessaries of life.
Yesterday, Lillybing's grandmother, Josephine Matiaha, gave a tearful testimony of how she had brought up Namana, her stepdaughter, as her own. The bond that developed between Namana and Lillybing was so close that by mid-1999, "Lillybing cried for Namana rather than her natural mother."
In the days before she died, Lillybing was not her usual self. She had diarrhoea, was quiet and whingeing.
Ms Matiaha dropped Lillybing at Namana's Carterton home on July 20 this year. At 11.15 pm on July 23, there was a knock at Ms Matiaha's door.
It was Namana and she was crying. "I've come to take you to hospital because Lillybing's there."
Namana told her the toddler had fallen out of the van and had fallen over three times at Nga Waka Te Kohanga Reo.
When they arrived at Masterton Hospital, Paewai told her: "Ka mate ia." (She is dead).
Ms Matiaha said she went into shock when she saw Lillybing's body, covered to the neck in a hospital blanket.
"The skin on her forehead and cheeks was not there. It was red, like the top layer of skin was missing. There was a dark black bruise on her forehead." She said she kissed her "all over."
When she asked her stepdaughters why they did not bring her to hospital sooner, Paewai said: "Because we had our first-aid certificate and the manual right by the first-aid kit."
Ms Matiaha told Namana and Paewai she would stand by them - until the family learned of the autopsy results two days later.
On August 17, Namana told her that they had twice applied a hot cloth to Lillybing's face.
Namana, she said, "did not want to nark and was prepared to take the fall for what happened to Lillybing."
Autopsy revealed bruises all over child's body
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