Parents visit grave as secret report reveals twins' injuries

Macsyne King and Chris Kahui yesterday visiting the grave of their twin sons at the Mangere Lawn Cemetery. Picture / Janna Dixon

A confidential medical report into the injuries suffered by the Kahui twins has revealed one of the boys suffered a skull fracture from a major blow to the head.

The report from registered paediatrician Silvana Campanella to Child Youth and Family gives the first detailed insight into the multiple injuries inflicted on three-month-old twin boys Chris and Cru Kahui.

All that has been revealed to date is that the boys died from severe unexplained head injuries.

A theory from Kahui family spokeswoman Ani Hawke that the boys were shaken to death is backed by the report, with Dr Campanella saying the head injuries, subdural bleeding and retinal haemorrhages were typical of so-called shaken baby syndrome. However, in Chris Kahui's case there was also evidence of a skull fracture which would have resulted from a blow to the head.

Chris had also suffered a fractured right femur.

According to Dr Campanella, who treated the boys on their arrival at Starship Hospital's paediatric intensive care unit, both had massive brain injuries with subdural bleeding as well as acute bleeding in the fluid-filled space in each half of the brain.

A number of bruises were also found on the twins.

The injuries were so severe the twins had to be incubated and put on ventilators because they could no longer breathe for themselves. Both also received medication to control seizures they were having.

Dr Campanella said the twins also had their eyes examined by an ophthalmologist and it was found they had suffered multiple haemorrhages within the retina, or inner layer of the eye.

The report also discounted any possibility the deaths were accidental, with Dr Campanella saying the head injuries were evidence that "someone has injured these babies and therefore these babies have been abused".

"There is concern that, in the absence of any history of an accidental mechanism to explain these injuries, these babies have an inflicted injury," Dr Campanella said.

The Mangere twins were first admitted to Auckland's Starship Hospital on June 13 and died five days later.

Police had interviewed family members about the death of the boys, but the investigation team had been stonewalled by the refusal of the family to reveal who was responsible.

That group belonged to the so-called "Tight 12" of family members who had contact with Chris and Cru before they died.

The twins' parents, Sonny Chris Kahui and Macsyne King, have been interviewed by police at least twice, with Kahui saying he would meet police only at a McDonald's restaurant in future after King was confronted by a news crew at the Otahuhu police station last week.

The case has sparked nationwide anger with MPs from all sides of the political spectrum wading into the debate. One of the strongest and most provocative comments last week came from Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia, who said those who were covering up the truth were as "gutless" as those who had perpetrated the violence.

Kahui and King yesterday paid a visit to the dead twins at the Mangere Lawn Cemetery to mark the one week anniversary of their funeral.

Police have refused to say if they have a main suspect in the case, and after several days' silence have said they will make further public comment tomorrow.

Kahui's lawyer Lorraine Smith told the Herald on Sunday she had not seen her client for several days, but had spoken to him on the phone yesterday. She refused to divulge any details of the conversation.

However, she denied her client was obstructing efforts to find the killer or killers, saying Kahui had cooperated in all his dealings with police.

She also rubbished speculation the injuries to the twins were caused by two children.

The theory had been put to police and they had told her that children would have been too small to inflict those sort of injuries on the twins.

King's lawyer, Marie Dhyrberg, refused to comment on the case.