Nia’s abusers back behind bars
Five people were charged in connection with 3-yearold Nia Glassie’s death — her mother,Lisa Kuka and her partner, Wiremu Curtis, his brother Michael Curtis and partner Oriwa Kemp and Michael Pearson.
Kuka was granted parole in 2015 but less than two years later was back behind bars after she breached her release conditions by living at an unapproved property.
Kuka was released on parole again in March 2017.
The Curtis brothers remain in prison and are eligible for parole in February 2025.
Over the years Kemp has been in and out of court and prison on various charges including domestic violence.
She now has five children and all of the youngsters are in the care of Oranga Tamariki. She is awaiting sentencing on new charges of assault, theft and breaching intensive supervision conditions. It is understood the assault occurred on Karangahape Rd in central Auckland soon after Kemp was caught stealing a bottle of Coca-Cola and a can of Pringles chips.
Pearson is back behind bars after being sentenced in the New Plymouth District Court to 20 months in prison for robbery.
In the lead-up to her 2007 death Nia was put in a clothes dryer spinning for 30 minutes on hot, hung on a clothesline and spun around, held over a burning fire, used to practise wrestling moves andn folded into a couch and sat on . A jury found the Curtis brothers guilty of murder, Kuka guilty on two counts of manslaughter and Pearson and Kemp guilty of assault.