Police, parents at odds over baby

Staranise Orangaiti Hinerangi Waru

Police and the parents of a baby girl allegedly shaken to death remain in a standoff after a dispute about the level of co-operation from the child's family.

It has been eight months since Staranise Orangaiti Hinerangi Waru died in Christchurch Hospital after police said she was "violently shaken".

Staranise had been in the care of her parents, Robert Waru and Nyree Hopa, when the injuries were allegedly inflicted, but the couple have denied having any involvement in her death.

Police raised the stakes this week by publicly stating the parents had recently been failing to co-operate with the investigation into Staranise's death, a claim strongly denied by the pair.

Detectives had been in contact with lawyers for Mr Waru and Ms Hopa since the dispute. A Christchurch police official said detectives were waiting for a response from lawyers for the couple.

Elizabeth Bulger, the lawyer acting for Ms Hopa, said last night that the couple were considering a police request for discussion on "broad topics" resulting from their investigations.

Some issues related to Mr Waru, others to Ms Hopa, and some to the pair, Ms Bulger said. Police airing their views in public had "in many ways been for nothing because I don't consider we are any further ahead".

Ms Bulger said the couple did not accept their child had been deliberately harmed and believed the death might have been from natural causes.

They were still grieving for their loss and wanted to see an end to the police investigation as much as anyone.

One news report said that a person other than Mr Waru and Ms Hopa had been in the family home when the alleged injuries were inflicted. But Ms Bulger said she had no knowledge of such a person.

Police would not comment on whether there was a prime suspect,

However they said officers had narrowed down a "limited group of people" who had been in contact with Staranise at key times.