A man charged with the murder of 2-year-old girl Arnica Savage has this morning pleaded not guilty.

The man, 32, appeared in the High Court at Rotorua this morning where he entered a not guilty plea to murdering the child at Te Mahoe in the Eastern Bay of Plenty on Sunday night.

The man, who was wearing a white prison boiler suit and was clutching a blue book, entered the plea through his lawyer, Gene Tomlinson.

About 20 people were in the public gallery.

Justice Graham Lang remanded the man in custody to reappear for a case review hearing on September 5 when he will appear by audio visual link.

Justice Lang has set down the trial to start on March 18 next year.

Justice Lang said at the request of the family the accused's name and his relationship to the girl would remain suppressed until 5pm on July 11, which was after the girl's tangi.

Arnica's body was found in the Rangitaiki River on Sunday night about 11pm after police were called to the area about 6pm.