Police give an update on the death of a Lower Hutt toddler.
Video / NZ Herald
A woman living at the address where toddler Ruthless-Empire suffered fatal blunt force injuries says she’s set to have a second interview with police and wants to “defend myself and speak the truth”.
Three people were staying at a home in Lower Hutt when the almost-2-year-old suffered fatal injuries from blunt force trauma, some time between October 21 and 22.
Ruthless-Empire Souljah Reign Rhind Shephard Wall was taken, unresponsive, to Hutt Hospital on October 22, up to 12 hours after receiving the severe injuries. The toddler, whose family asked for him to also be referred to by his maramatanga (enlightenment) name Nga Reo, was unable to be saved. Police are yet to make any arrests.
The Herald earlier revealed the three people living at the Taitā, Lower Hutt house were Ruthless-Empire’s mother, Storm Angel Wall, as well as Rosie Morunga and her partner Dylan Ross.
Police earlier said there were three people of interest they were speaking to with “varying degrees” of engagement.
On Wednesday evening Morunga took to Instagram saying she knew people had opinions on what had happened.
“He was an innocent child who should’ve been safe and loved, and should not have died as he did," police Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard said. Photo / Ngatanahira Reremoana
“Once me n my partner go in for our second interview and then the ones that have loved and supported us through this time will finally be able to explain and show our evidence to use for the rest carry on having your opinions,” she wrote.
“Not been able to speak on social media to defend ourselves hurts yes its fkd up what happened but know that their will be justice for baby ru [sic].”
Morunga said she was not hiding and the police knew where she and her partner were and had their numbers.
Regarding her second interview she said it was “time for our turn and for all u fake whanau members acting like use cared [sic]”.
“I see your comments I see your fakeness and once I can finally defend myself and speak the truth I don’t even want an apology thanks to the real whanau members love us love use forever [sic].”
Morunga, Ross and Storm have not responded to requests for comment.
On Wednesday, the Herald revealed the toddler’s uncle, Ngatanahira Reremoana, contacted Oranga Tamariki with concerns about Ruthless-Empire on December 26 last year asking for him to be uplifted.
The toddler had effectively been raised in Reremoana’s home where he lived with his mother, Sarah Reremoana, who was Ruthless-Empire’s great aunt.
Baby Ruthless-Empire died in hospital on October 22. Photo / Ngatanahira Reremoana
In the email, titled “child in danger”, Ngatanahira Reremoana outlined his concerns claiming his nephew did not get the “well-deserved care he needs”.
“The house is in a disgusting condition for a toddler to be crawling around in,” he said. He alleged there were drugs at the address.
“I suggest he be uplifted asap...”
On January 10, an intake social worker replied to Reremoana. The staffer asked if the toddler was attending daycare, and whether any other services or agencies were involved with the whānau.
He also asked Reremoana to describe the living conditions. The staffer said they would wait to hear back for further information, but would probably be making a report and sending it through to another office close to the whānau.
“In the meantime, if there are any safety concerns that you are aware of … please call the police and ask for a welfare check, and they will be able to go and ascertain the safety of Ruthless.”
In response, Reremoana said Ruthless-Empire was not attending childcare and there were no other services involved.
He had recently travelled to where the toddler lived and claimed that he found him asleep on the floor among dirty washing. Reremoana alleged the room was “riddled with” flies and was humid with no windows open.
“The floors were black, carpets were dirty, there were dishes around his kai preparing area and the flies were the worst.
“I had woken him up from his sleep as I found it irritating watching him sleep on the floor and amongst the flies.
The Poole St house in Taitā, Lower Hutt, where baby Ruthless-Empire lived with three adults, Rosie Morunga (top left), Dylan Ross, and Storm Wall, his mother. Photo / Mark Mitchell
“He is always a happy boy but when he sees us, he always seems happier like he’s being rescued.”
The Oranga Tamariki staffer replied he was sending a report of concern to the local office in Hamilton where further assessment would take place by a social worker.
Reremoana recalled the anger he felt on October 22 when the whānau received a message to say Ruthless-Empire was in hospital.
“Then when we got the phone call that he’d passed, that’s when everything just sunk in and we had no words to explain how we were feeling,” he said.
“It was just like we didn’t do enough to protect our baby. We didn’t fight hard enough.”
He believed Oranga Tamariki “failed our Baby Ru”, and he did not feel like they listened to the whānau’s concerns.
“I think they should be held responsible for not intervening in this situation.”
Chief executive Chappie Te Kani told the Herald that, like for many New Zealanders, Ruthless-Empire’s “needless death” had “been weighing heavily on my mind”.
“Whenever a child is killed Oranga Tamariki staff feel it deeply. We are an organisation made up of thousands of social workers whose life focus is to care for tamariki and whānau.
“Again, I would like to acknowledge the grief Baby Ru’s whānau will be experiencing.”
Te Kani confirmed the toddler was not in Oranga Tamariki custody or care.
“However, we are actively working alongside our partner agencies to piece together what, if any, support Baby Ru and his whānau were receiving at the time of his death, and if interventions could have occurred.
“We are in the process of thoroughly reviewing every interaction and decision that was made in relation to Baby Ru and his whānau, with the oversight of our chief social worker Peter Whitcombe. We must protect everyone’s privacy and we are currently not able to go into details.”
Oranga Tamariki was working with police to support their investigation.
Sam Sherwood is a Christchurch-based reporter who covers crime. He is a senior journalist who joined the Herald in 2022, and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.
