Baby Popo murder trial delayed

SUPPLIED

"POPO": One-year-old Terepo Taura-Griffiths died in Otahuhu in November 2011.

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A woman charged with murdering her godson has had her trial delayed until July next year.

Mariam Filihia is charged with killing Terepo "Popo" Taura-Griffiths, who died in November 2011, a week after his first birthday.

Police have said the child suffered from a skull fracture in the back of his head and a "massive" brain bleed.

Filihia, 33, appeared in the High Court at Auckland today where the Crown asked for a delay as independent medical advice was unavailable by the proposed April date.

Justice Pamela Andrews granted the application and set a new date for July 29.

Evidence from child witnesses will be pre-recorded.

Filihia was remanded on bail.

Popo's biological grandmother Anna Taura Benioni previously described him as a "chirpy, cheeky boy" who loved food, puppies, bouncing on the trampoline and a Tommie-Tippie toy he'd unwrapped days before he died.

Popo's 27-year-old mother Terepai Benioni said she'd known Filihia and her husband for four to five years and they'd once been neighbours.

- © Fairfax NZ News