Ruthless-Empire homicide: Family reveal extent of toddler's injuries

Author: Sam Sherwood,
Publish Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2023, 4:13pm

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

Slain toddler Baby Ru suffered a broken skull as a result of blunt force trauma, his family allege.

On October 22 Ruthless-Empire Souljah Reign Rhind Shephard Wall died after arriving at Hutt Hospital unresponsive with severe head injuries.

The toddler, now known as Nga Reo Te Huatahi Reremoana Ahipene-Wall, was living at a home in the Lower Hutt suburb of Tait膩 with his mother Storm Wall, Rosie Morunga, and her partner Dylan Ross.

The Herald can now reveal Baby Ru鈥檚 family claim they were told by police he suffered a broken skull.

The toddler鈥檚 great-aunt, Sarah Reremoana said police told her early on in the investigation he was killed by blunt force trauma which broke his skull, and that he suffered a brain bleed. She said police were unsure if a weapon was used, or if he was slammed into a table or floor.

鈥淚 slammed my hands on their table and screamed and could not imagine why people or anyone could do this to a happy innocent baby,鈥� she said.

She said the wh膩nau had gone from 鈥淎 to Z in all sorts of ways鈥� since the toddler鈥檚 death.

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to cope, just making sure that we鈥檝e returned to our regular lives. We鈥檝e put the Christmas tree up... Usually, you鈥檙e supposed to be joyful around this time of year... but it鈥檚 just been a bit of a different one for us this year.鈥�

This piece of fabric was around Baby Ru's neck when he arrived at hospital.

The family were desperate for a resolution, she said.

鈥淲e all need answers.鈥�

In response to questions from the Herald about the toddler鈥檚 injuries, police said they believed he died of blunt force trauma to the head.

As of Tuesday, no arrests have been made.

On Monday, Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard appealed for information on specific critical evidence.

鈥淲e believe that the items were deliberately removed from the Poole St, Taita property and have subsequently been concealed or disposed of.

鈥淎ttempts have been made to clean and alter the crime scene before police arrived.鈥�

Police had 鈥渄etermined鈥� that the people seen using a grey-green 1994 Nissan Sentra, registration TE6972, were responsible for disposing of this evidence.

The Nissan travelled to and from the Poole St address three times after Ru was taken to hospital on October 22 and before police were able to secure the scene.

Police are appealing for information on a Provision-ISR NVR5-8200PX+ DRV unit, an Eaton 5E UPS 650VA/360W power backup unit and 2 x NZ Outlets as well as a swatch of duvet cover.

Police were also seeking information about a piece of fabric tied around Ru鈥檚 neck when he was taken to hospital.

Police are appealing for information about a swatch of duvet cover.

鈥淎lthough not a direct cause of his death, the fact that such an item was around his neck is incredibly concerning and we appeal for information from anyone who has seen this item or what it was used for,鈥� Pritchard said.

鈥淭he co-operation of our three people of interest is vital to us understanding the truth of what happened to Baby Ru, and ultimately holding those responsible to account.鈥�

Baby Ru died in hospital on October 22.

Pritchard earlier told the Herald that police were still waiting on toxicology results to come back in relation to the toddler as well as forensic analysis on several items taken from the property where he suffered the fatal injuries.

He said police believed the toddler suffered his injuries on the morning of his death when all three persons of interest were home.

The Herald earlier revealed a piece of fabric, similar to a shoelace and about 30cm long, was allegedly wrapped around Baby Ru鈥檚 neck when he arrived at the hospital.

Pritchard confirmed there was a piece of fabric around his neck, but he was unable to draw any conclusions on that because it was not a factor in the cause of his death.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very unusual and we are trying to unpick what it means, how it got there, and again going back to the people that were in the house at the time. Someone will know the answer to why it was there, but we don鈥檛 have an answer at this stage.鈥�

An Eaton 5E UPS 650VA/360W power backup unit.

He said the case had a number of complexities, which made the investigation challenging.

Wall earlier claimed in an interview with the Herald that on the evening of October 21 one of the people in the house told her to go to bed and that they would look after Ru.

About 10pm, he was put into her bed. Wall said he 鈥渓ooked normal鈥�.

鈥淚 just gave him a last hug, just checking he鈥檚 all right.鈥�

Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard confirmed to the Herald a hard drive police are seeking was used to record CCTV footage from the property.

When she woke the next morning, he was 鈥渄rowsy鈥�. 鈥淚 thought he was tired.鈥�

She was getting ready to visit a cousin when she heard noises in the house. She claimed she was then told Ru was choking.

She tried doing first aid, 鈥渢o see if he could get any form of phlegm or anything out and therefore he was getting his grasp of breath鈥�.

Police investigating the death of Baby Ru are seeking sightings of this vehicle on October 22, the day he was taken to Hutt Hospital. Photo / NZ Police

She then took him to the hospital.

Asked whether she had any part in her son鈥檚 death, she replied: 鈥淣o, I didn鈥檛.

鈥淚 just want justice for my son ... I want justice for my Ru Ru.鈥�

Dylan Ross, Rosie Morunga, and Storm Angel Wall

Sam Sherwood is a Christchurch-based reporter who covers crime. He is a senior journalist who joined the Herald in 2022 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.

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