Police say they're assessing independent legal advice in relation to the unsolved killing of Lower Hutt toddler Baby Ru.
By Sam Sherwood for RNZ
It's been more than two and a half years since Baby Ru, officially named Nga Reo Te Huatahi Reremoana Ahipene-Wall, died at Hutt Hospital after suffering blunt force trauma so severe it fractured his skull and led to his death on October 22, 2023.
Police have previously said there are three people of interest, Rosie Morunga, her partner Dylan Ross, and the child's mother, Storm Wall, who were all living at the same Poole St house with Ru, who was days away from his second birthday.
Neither Morunga nor Ross have spoken to the media since the homicide investigation began.
The officer in charge of the investigation, dubbed Operation Huia, Wellington District Crime Manager Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard told RNZ the police investigation was ongoing.
"This includes engagement and assessment of independent legal advice."
Speaking to RNZ in October on the eve of the two-year anniversary, Pritchard said police were confident they had put together a "really comprehensive evidential foundation for consideration of criminal culpability".
He said police had sought independent legal advice to assist in reviewing the investigation.
He did not have a timeframe for the review due to the "large volume of material".
Pritchard said police had established a timeline of the morning of Baby Ru's death and established he suffered the fatal injuries "quite close to the time that emergency services were called".
He was unable to comment on the information that made up the police's timeline, but said the team was "confident we've got it as accurate as it can be".
Pritchard said there remained three people of interest and declined to say whether police believed they knew who was responsible for Baby Ru's death.
He said the investigation was a "very complex case".
"We are confident we have put together a really comprehensive evidential foundation for consideration for criminal culpability, and I think the team has done a fantastic job in relation to that, but like any case, there's always challenges, and the team have remained really steadfast to get the best outcome here and find justice for Baby Ru and his whānau."
Pritchard urged those in the house at the time Baby Ru was killed to come forward and talk to police.
"We'd really like to hear from all of them. I'm sure they've got more information they can provide us in terms of what happened that day."
He was "almost certain" that there were other people in the community who had information that was of value to the investigation.
"You've got a whānau who've lost a valuable member of their family, someone whose life was cut short far too young. It's never too late to do the right thing. It's been two years, I'm sure the guilt is building up inside them. So come forward and tell us what happened. Do the right thing."
Wall — who has repeatedly denied being involved in her son's death — has previously spoken at length with RNZ about what she alleges happened to her son and who she claims killed him.
RNZ is unable to report what she alleges happened.
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