Graham Pitkethley: Detective Inspector to reinvestigate previous injuries following Te Kūiti baby death

A baby boy's previous injury will be re-investigated after he died on Saturday in Waikato's Te Kūiti.

Police say 10-month-old Mustafa Ali had suffered violent blunt-force trauma that didn't appear accidental.

They say he suffered another non-accidental injury in October.

Detective Inspector Graham Pitkethley says he's working to investigate the inconsistencies found within prior statements.

"Like anything in these tragic situations, we will go back and have a look to see if there was anything else that could have been done."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
To the case of the Tikuwitzy baby homicide investigation. The
baby's father has spoken out, saying that he was alone
at home with the baby at the time, but he
didn't kill the boy. He says, the baby, ten month
old with stuff for Ali, choked and he tried to
save him. Police, though, believe the boy died of violent
blunt force trauma and that it wasn't an accident. Detective
Inspector Graham Pitt Kethley is leading the case. High Graham, Hello,

(00:24):
do you believe the dad's story.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
I'm aware of a dad story as of you reported before.
We believe there's some inconsistencies with the statements that we
had and the inquiry teams weak and really hard to
corroborate some of that information and determine what those inconsistencies are,
and basically based around the injuries that has been suffered

(00:51):
by Mustafa.

Speaker 1 (00:53):
So what his version of how the boy that the
injuries the boy got does not match up with the
injuries that you guys are aware of.

Speaker 2 (01:01):
The injuries that Mustafa has and the explanations that we're
getting from members of the family that we're speaking to
are inconsistent.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
Okay, what kind of injuries does the boy have.

Speaker 2 (01:14):
I'm not going to comment on the actual injuries in
regards to its still somewhat complex matter and for the
pathologists to undertake his reporting for us in a specialist.
But as obviously before, in regards to what we do know,
it is blood falls trauma and it's not consistent with

(01:36):
an accident at this stage, and that's why we're investigating.

Speaker 1 (01:39):
Why don't you think it was accidental.

Speaker 2 (01:43):
Due to the violent injuries that the Mustafa has suffered.

Speaker 1 (01:50):
What are you saying it's just too much to be
an accident.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah, pretty much, that's what I'm saying. It just seems
to be inconsistent with what we'd expect from an accident. Unfortunately,
children do have accidents, and we do have a lot
of reports that get investigated around non accidental and accidental injuries.
So with their experienced in regards to working with our

(02:14):
experens to try and determine what is accidental and what
is non accidental face in this case, very early on
in regards to our initial inquiries, it is inconsistent with
being an accident. The injury city subject.

Speaker 1 (02:30):
Were you already aware that there was an incident late
last year where the boy was hurt.

Speaker 2 (02:35):
Yet we were aware in regards to a notification Intober
and November last year around you missed up for being injured.

Speaker 1 (02:47):
It's correct, Yes, were you investigating that?

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Yes, yep, we are investigating and it will be reinvestigated
as part of this Somerson and query.

Speaker 1 (02:56):
But so Graham, you were you already investigating it and
you were still investigating at the time of the boy's death.

Speaker 2 (03:03):
The investigation ad was at the completion stage that from
October November last year. But it will be fully investigated
again as part of a homicide inquiry.

Speaker 1 (03:13):
Okay, And can you say whether you had determined who
was like whether somebody was guilty for that.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
No, I'm not going to outline that at the moment,
As I said, I wanted to be fully reinvestigated as
this smicide inquiry.

Speaker 1 (03:25):
So ram should should that investigation given given the age
of the boy, should that investigation actually have happened faster?

Speaker 2 (03:33):
No, I'm satisfied at this initial stages that the start
that we're investigating has done the best that they can
and relation to that, like anything in these tragic situations,
we will go back and have a look to see
if there was anything else that could have been done
And I can't give you a comment on that at

(03:54):
the moment because there's a set at store under investigation.
It south and will be part of a wider homicide investigation.

Speaker 1 (04:00):
Is that when or on Tamriki got involved.

Speaker 2 (04:03):
Oh look, I can't comment on anything from another government agency,
but with anythink under our child protection protocols, there are
joint investigation processes that we undertake with Ronnie Kamriki, so
we try and work together on our eccedents and non

(04:24):
accidental injuries or accidental injuries in regards to people reporting
concern around children.

Speaker 1 (04:31):
And in this case, is everyone cooperating.

Speaker 2 (04:38):
Yes, everyone is speaking to the police. I just have
some concerns around the inconsistencies of some of the statements
at We're getting all right.

Speaker 1 (04:46):
Grahame listen, Thank you very much for your time and
best of luck getting to the bottom of this. It's
Graham Pitt Keithley, the detective inspector leading the case. For
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