Toddler killed by mum had a horrible life: cop

The 2-year-old girl was kicked around 'like a soccer ball' when she refused to stop playing with her toys. Photo / Thinkstock

A toddler who was bashed to death by her Northland mother had a horrible life, the detective in charge of the investigation says.

Norefjell Davis, 36, was sentenced yesterday in the High Court at Auckland to eight years and six months' jail with a minimum non-parole period of four years and three months for killing her daughter, Jacqui Petersen-Davis.

Jacqui, 2, died after being kicked around "like a soccer ball", one of numerous assaults on the girl during her short life.

Davis was found guilty of manslaughter and wilful ill treatment but not guilty of murder in May.

Detective Sergeant Mark Robertson said he was pleased the disturbing case could be put to rest. "There's no doubt this child had a horrible life."

In 2009, Davis, her three children and Jacqui's father, Jade Petersen, were living in the Northland town of Kaitaia.

On August 7, about 5pm, Davis assaulted the girl when she refused to stop playing with her toys. She kicked her so hard that the child was airborne, then she punched her repeatedly and slammed her head into the floor, she told police.

The girl was not taken to hospital until 4am the next day when Davis noticed her having difficulty breathing. She died in Auckland's Starship hospital about 11am.

Davis told doctors the girl was injured when she fell off a playground but later admitted to police that she had assaulted her.

A post-mortem examination revealed a number of recent acute injuries including a fractured pelvis and abdomen, three fractured ribs, a lacerated liver and bowel, bruising to her brain and optic nerve damage.

The pathologist also found numerous older injuries including a fractured collar bone, pelvis, upper arm bone, rib, toe and injuries to her bowel.

Sentencing judge Justice Peter Woodhouse said he was satisfied Davis was responsible for at least some of the older injuries.

"This was not an isolated assault by you on your daughter, and you do acknowledge that," he said to Davis.

"There was serious violence in the kicks and blows you inflicted. She must have suffered dreadfully. There was callousness in your treatment of her, she was very vulnerable.

"You have abused a position of utmost trust, that of a parent to a young child."

Davis' defence counsel argued during her trial that Mr Petersen was responsible for Jacqui's death, despite the woman's earlier admission to police.

The couple met when he was 18 and she was nearly 30.

Justice Woodhouse said they had a harmful relationship in which Mr Petersen mentally and physically abused her.

On the day Jacqui received the fatal injuries, Mr Petersen had been drinking solidly for three days, smoking methamphetamine and seeing a woman he was having an affair with.

Davis had previously been addicted to methamphetamine and continued to use it while pregnant with Jacqui.

Family First labelled yesterday's sentence offensive and insulting.

"For this atrocious behaviour over a period of time - not a one-off incident - the mother has been sentenced to just 8 years in jail, and will be able to start applying for freedom in just over four years," said the conservative lobby group's national director, Bob McCoskrie.

Davis' two other children are in Child, Youth & Family care.

- NZPA