The murder of the accused Maketū showed an ‘unreal’ force and an ‘aggression’ towards the police

A jury has heard that a man accused of murdering his daughter tried to “bite and attack” police officers and warned that his daughter would die if they did not release him.

Maketū Coastguard’s Todd O’Connell testified today at the trial of Aaron George Izett, 38, in Rotorua Superior Court.

O’Connell said multiple injections of ketamine were needed to sedate Izett, who displayed “unreal” strength when he resisted arrest, and multiple police officers to restrain him.

Izett defends a murder charge of Nevaeh Jahkaya Whatukura Ager, 2 years old.

The boy’s body was found by police on the tidal flats in Little Waihi, Maketū, on March 21 last year, while his mother was in hospital, having given birth to their son Ryker.

The Crown alleges that Izett’s “methamphetamine rage” led him to kill his daughter and assault three other people.

O’Connell said on the afternoon of March 21 last year that he was called in to help police with a sea rescue in the Little Waihi estuary.

Upon arrival, he saw a naked man splashing in the water about 200 meters from shore and the male’s behavior was “quite aggressive,” he said.

O’Connell said that once they launched their Coast Guard boat into the water, Izett started running through the water, which was sometimes waist-deep, and headed for the opposite shore at Pukehina.

O’Connell said he and a police officer went out on a jet ski but still couldn’t see the naked man. They learned that he had been arrested and a police officer asked for a first aid kit after being bitten on the arm, the court heard.

“There was a lot of blood.

“The man was very aggressive, he moved very violently and tried to bite and attack anyone who could … He said that the pain strengthens him and that they should release it.”

Izett had to undergo Tasers twice, he said.

O’Connell said Izett had to be physically restrained, tied firmly to the stretcher and sedated twice.

“I was holding his feet, but the power was kicking us … His strength was unreal.”

Izett never mentioned his daughter until police told him he was being arrested.

O’Connell said Izett told officers that his daughter was home alone and “was going to die” if they didn’t release him, he said.

Sonia Wright, a St. John ambulance officer whose written statement was read in court, took Izett to Tauranga Hospital. Despite being restrained by four policemen, the defendant was still aggressive and had bitten off his mask.

Te Puke’s man, Patrick Archer, told the court that he entered into a business venture with Izett after meeting him for the first time in late 2018.

Archer said that shortly after learning of Nevaeh’s death, Izett’s mother called him on the phone and told him that her son had suffered “some kind of nervous breakdown.”

“When I spoke to Aaron, he sounded pretty broken and shaky,” he said.

Several Little Waihi residents have given similar accounts of Izett’s “strange and erratic” behavior that had escalated in the weeks before their daughter’s death.

This included Izett often seen in the estuary marshes “ranting and delirious”, “singing”, swearing and “cursing the Pākehā” and often speaking gibberish.

Rim Paul said that on March 21, 2019, he heard Izett in the estuary say “this is my land” and saw Izett naked “threatening the police” and trying to evade capture.

“Aaron was ranting and raving about the land and its ancestry, and I’d say this would have lasted about three hours.”

The court heard that Nevaeh had injuries to her face and head, including her lips and ears, and received between eight and ten blows. He also had injuries to his neck, indicating the “degree of force”.

The court heard after Nevaeh was assaulted, Izett placed her body face down in the estuary marshes, then placed two large rocks on top of her and drowned.

Izett also pleaded not guilty to the charges of injuring with intent to cause serious bodily injury, assault, and injuring with intent to injure.

The charges refer to alleged assaults on two civilians and a police officer.

The defense has argued that Izett lacked the necessary killing intent and should be found innocent of insanity at the time of committing the acts.

The trial continues next week.