Nia Glassie Tribute Onlinetributes.com.au

A child witness has told a jury Nia Glassie's tormentors would not let her rest because they liked hurting her.

Five people face a range of charges from assault to murder over the death of the three-year-old Rotorua girl in August 2007.

It is alleged she suffered months of misery and abuse.
 
On Thursday, the court heard what alleged child abuse and torment looks like through the eyes of a child.

The child saw what the Crown says was a death blow to Nia Glassie.

The witness told the court brothers Michael and Wiremu Curtis kicked the little girl three times in the head, as hard as a rock, and then Nia started to fall asleep.  

The video interview with the child was conducted by a specialist at Child Youth and Family a day after Nia was admitted to hospital in a coma.

The witness says Nia was smashed up by the Curtis brothers every day.

Every time she makes a mistake, the witness says, they get her and do body-slamming on her.  They pick her up and slam dunk her on the ground.

The child says the worst thing was Nia being hoisted up and lifted to the ceiling and dropped to the floor. 

The witness was also there when the little girl was allegedly shoved into a tumble drier. The jury was told Nia went round and round until her head bled. 

The child says they "just stuffed her in. They turned it on for about five minutes. They turned it off and she was hot, boiling hot.

The Curtis brothers have been charged with murdering the toddler while another three, including the dead girl's mother Lisa Kuka, are charged with manslaughter.

Kuka was at work when it is alleged the fatal kicks were delivered.

The witness says Nia Glassie's mother had seen the ill-treatment of her daughter but did nothing about it. 

The trial began its fourth day at midday Thursday with 11 jurors after a juror was discharged by Justice Judith Potter.