Almost 90 days after Baby Ru died from severe head injuries inside a house in Wellington, his family are still waiting for answers. Herald senior crime reporter Sam Sherwood reports. 

Three photo frames, with a candle in front of each, sat on the table as Baby Ru’s family gathered for Christmas Day.  

In each frame was a photo of the toddler, smiling back at the whānau as they sat down for dinner — a sad and painful reminder of the little boy who should’ve been there with them, playing with his new toys and eating the food alongside them.  

“We made sure there we had a seat for him,” his great-aunt who raised him for most of his life, Sarah Reremoana, told the Herald.  

“It was just important for us to make sure that even if he was a little angel up in heaven, at least he could still see down and see us and see that he still had his place on the table. We will forever keep him a place.”  

Today marks 86 days since the toddler, now known as Nga Reo Te Huatahi Reremoana Ahipene-Wall, arrived at Hutt Hospital unresponsive with severe head injuries. 

Baby Ru's family kept a spot for him at the table on Christmas Day. Photo / Ngatanahira Reremoana 

No arrests have been made, and police say there are no further updates at this stage. 

Three people, his mother Storm Wall, and a couple who lived with her — Rosie Morunga and her partner Dylan Ross — are persons of interest to the police investigation. 

Reremoana says the whānau visit Baby Ru’s grave daily, her pain evident in her voice as she begins to talk about the family’s struggle. 

“You try and get through the day, but once you start talking about it, it tears you up. 

“I just try and think of the good times with baby … we know he’s in no more pain now or suffering, but it’s just different not having him around.” 

She often thinks about what they would be doing if he were still around, such as enjoying the summer swimming. 

“The other day we had something to eat and thought, ‘Oh gosh, imagine baby trying to eat this’.” 

 

For Reremoana, it’s not just the missed giggles and new words, but the way he was killed and the actions of those involved that hurt. 

“It’s like he didn’t matter,” she says. 

“We just want answers.” 

Last month the Herald interviewed Wall for a second time. During the interview, she gave a new account of how her son had suffered his injuries, and said she saw the incident. 

The Herald has chosen not to publish the details because the homicide inquiry continues. 

The Herald earlier revealed a piece of fabric was allegedly wrapped around Baby Ru’s neck when he arrived at the hospital. 

Baby Ru's family visit his grave daily. Photo / Ngatanahira Reremoana 

Wall said she first noticed the piece of fabric around his neck on the morning of his death, before she placed him into his highchair. 

“I don’t know when that fabric was there, if it was previous that night or it was during, I don’t know.” 

She said the fabric was from packaging from bedding she purchased from The Warehouse a day earlier for her and Baby Ru. 

Wall said she was “more than angry” about what happened to her son. 

Asked what made her recall this information, she said: “I just want the truth out.” 

Not disclosing the information had been “more than difficult”. 

“I’ve had every form of judgment everywhere, I haven’t even gone on any social media because I already know all the hatred within it and then everyone blaming me because I’m a mum …” 

Reremoana says she still has confidence that police will make an arrest, and urges those with information to come forward. 

The piece of fabric that was found around Baby Ru's neck when he arrived at hospital. Photo / Police 

“It’s nearly three months. How can they sleep at night? 

“I just think they all need to be accountable for what has happened and what has been done.” 

The critical missing evidence 

Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard, the officer in charge of the investigation into Baby Ru’s death, has previously appealed for information on specific critical evidence. 

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

“Attempts have been made to clean and alter the crime scene before police arrived.” 

Police believe 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 back-up unit, and 2 x NZ Outlets as well as a swatch of duvet cover. 

Police were also seeking information about the piece of fabric tied around Ru’s neck. 

Baby Ru died after he was taken to hospital unresponsive on October 22. 

“Although 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,” Pritchard said. 

“The 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.” 

Pritchard previously 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. 

He said the case had several complexities, which made the investigation challenging. 

“From what we’ve established, there is information that they collectively will have that they have not provided to us.” 

The Poole Street house in Taita, Lower Hutt, where Baby Ru lived. Inset: Storm Wall (left), Rosie Morunga and Dylan Ross are persons of interest to the investigation. 

His message to the trio was to tell the truth. 

“You know what happened. It’s a young child, it’s a horrible thing that’s happened and we just want the truth to be able to give some closure to the family.” 

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.