Three Years After Baby Ru's Death, Police Still Seek to Charge Suspects

Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard leads the ongoing homicide inquiry into the death of Lower Hutt toddler Baby Ru, who died from severe blunt-force injuries on 22 October 2023. Operation Huia examines three individuals—Rosie Morunga, her former partner Dylan Ross, and the boy’s mother Storm Wall—who remain persons of interest despite Wall’s repeated denials of involvement. A dedicated, full-time police team, overseen by a senior investigating officer, is working with Crown solicitors and forensic specialists to analyse a large volume of evidence.

Pritchard says the lack of direct eyewitnesses and the need for a high evidentiary standard have prolonged the investigation, and no timeline for an arrest can be provided. He urges anyone with information to come forward, stressing that it is “not too late” for those responsible to be held accountable. The case continues to weigh heavily on the child’s family as they mark what would have been his fifth birthday.