The parents of a nine-year-old girl who was allegedly severely, systematically abused over nearly two years appeared in court today to face a raft of neglect and assault-related charges.
The charges - there are 36 in total - make for grim reading.
They include assault on the girl with a machete, hammer, vacuum cleaner pipe and broomstick; kicking her in the vaginal area while wearing work boots; tearing her toenail off; pouring salt on her bleeding toe; writing abusive comments on her body; immersing her in a hot bath in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering; making her stand for prolonged periods in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering; denying her medical treatment and withholding food.
She was found by police hiding in a wardrobe last month, with injuries to nearly every part of her body.
The woman is also charged with assaulting a seven-year-old boy by strangling him and dragging around by his neck, and assaulting him with an unknown object.
It was also revealed today that another of the girl's relatives has been charged for sexually abusing her while she was in Child, Youth and Family care.
The woman, aged 30, and man, aged 32, appeared in Waitakere District Court today before Judge Lisa Tremewan and a large media contingent and had their name suppression continued to protect the identity of the victims and their siblings.
Judge Tremewan stood the hearings down until later today so that police could consider bail, which she said was "a live issue".
The man, who faces three charges and was "a less significant player", had previously appeared before the court under a different name and had breached bail, which police needed time to consider.
The woman, who faces 33 charges, had yesterday declined to be interviewed by a forensic nurse but seemed fit to appear in court, which police also needed to take into account when considering bail, she said.
Detective Sergeant Megan Goldie said earlier today that the nine-year-old was receiving psychological and other specialist treatment and was likely to need regular counselling for the rest of her life.
The other children would also need counselling.
"Such is the severity of the injuries endured by the nine-year-old victim that the police investigators and others who have been associated with the inquiry have all been affected by what they have encountered," she said.
Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has ordered an investigation into Child Youth and Family and other agencies' interactions with the family and the child.
