KEY POINTS:
One of two brothers accused of murdering Rotorua toddler Nia Glassie exchanged words with her mother during a court appearance yesterday.
Michael Curtis, 21, whispered and held up his finger at Lisa Kuka, 34, when they appeared for a pre-depositions hearing in the Rotorua District Court.
Kuka, who is charged with the manslaughter of her 3-year-old daughter, was visibly upset and tried to attract the attention of the bailiff. She wore a bright yellow T-shirt with the words "Baby Nia 4 eva" emblazoned on the back and was hugged by 19-year-old Michael Pearson, another of four accused at the hearing, as they left the dock. It was Kuka's first appearance with her co-accused since she was charged on October 9.
Six people have been charged in relation to Nia's death. The fourth person to appear yesterday was 17-year-old Oriwa Kemp. Kemp and Pearson have also been charged with manslaughter and, like Curtis, were remanded for a depositions hearing on December 17.
Judge James Weir granted Kuka continued bail and further remanded the other three in custody until the depositions date.
He excused the group from appearing at a further predepositions hearing on November 15, scheduled to allow police to complete disclosure of evidence in the case.
Crown prosecutor Chris Macklin said he would also file a mode of evidence application by then, asking that evidence from two children, whose identities are suppressed, be heard by video link at depositions.
The other two accused in the case - Kuka's partner Wiremu Curtis, and Wiremu's and Michael's father William Curtis - were on the court list to appear, but lawyers for neither were present.
Wiremu, 18, is also charged with murder and is scheduled to make a bail appeal today.
William, 48, is already on bail until a depositions hearing on December 5. He faces different charges from the other five, stemming from alleged abuse of Nia between March 1 and July 1.
On one occasion, he allegedly wrapped a scarf around the 3-year-old's neck and held her in a strangle-hold, then dropped her to the ground. He is charged with assault and injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The other five allegedly abused Nia between July 18 and 20, at one stage placing her in a tumble drier.
She was taken to Rotorua Hospital on July 27 and died in Auckland's Starship hospital on August 3.
The charges against the Curtis brothers, Pearson and Kemp were upgraded on September 26 after a pathologist's report into Nia's death found she died of a subdural haematoma, or bleeding on the brain.
