KEY POINTS:
The wife of the man accused of killing a Tauranga two-year-old today denied she has turned against him to keep custody of their own three children.
Aaliyah died in Auckland's Starship Hospital on September 15, 2005 - two days after she was admitted with severe head injuries, which the Crown says resulted from a vicious beating meted out while Curran was babysitting her at his Haukore St, Hairini, home.
At the High Court trial in Rotorua of Michael John Curran, 28, for the murder of Aaliyah, Donna Louise Curran admitted making a new statement to a detective two weeks ago.
In it she told of seeing her husband, from whom she is now separated, slapping Aaliyah in the face five days before the little girl suffered the traumatic brain damage which resulted in her death.
She had never mentioned him ever hurting the young neighbour, whose parents were friends of the Currans, in a number of statements she made to police two years ago.
Mrs Curran also said in evidence today that the repeated slapping she admonished her husband for did not stop her continuing to have Aaliyah to stay at their house.
She failed to tell the girl's parents about it or that Curran had previously smacked their daughter on the bottom.
"I was afraid of Michael," Mrs Curran said.
"In all honesty I couldn't do sweet FA for that child because Michael had control."
She told defence counsel Paul Mabey QC that Hoana Morrissey, Aaliyah's mother, was also under Curran's control.
He insisted the little girl stay with them for a few days.
When her mother came to visit, the child was locked away in a bedroom.
Mr Mabey: "Michael was keeping Aaliyah a prisoner from her own mother?"
Witness: "Yes."
Mrs Curran agreed she had also lied previously about injuries to Aaliyah being caused by a fall from a top bunk the night after the face slapping.
Her husband instructed her to tell other people that was how the child got facial bruises and a puffy eye.
Mrs Curran agreed with Mr Mabey that she had been told by social workers if she supported her husband she would not get her children.
But she denied the late change to her evidence was lies or that her memory was incorrect.
"I remember the assaults (on Aaliyah). That was horrific to me," Mrs Curran said.
"It was unacceptable."
She said she was not a desperate woman, lying about her husband as Mr Mabey suggested.
Mr Mabey earlier told the jury Curran accepted he caused Aaliyah's death but says it was accidental. "You as a jury only have to concern yourself with one question, that is, is it murder or is it manslaughter?" said Mr Mabey.
But in his opening address, Crown solicitor Greg Hollister-Jones told the jury it was murder because from the "chronicle of injuries" inflicted, it was clear Curran intended to cause Aaliyah serious bodily harm.
Apart from the head injury - thought to be caused by her head being slammed against a solid object and/or violent shaking - there were 33 separate bruises and abrasions to her head, neck, trunk and limbs. It is believed they were inflicted over a three-day period.
A 15cm by 12cm abdominal bruise is thought to have been from Aaliyah being stomped on or kicked.
She'd been beaten on both buttocks and had bruising on both ears and her face. She also had a fractured left arm and a puffy eye.
The trial before eight women and four men continues this afternoon.
- NZPA
