He later told police that during the tangi, Poseidyn\u2019s father confessed to hitting the baby on September 5, sending him backwards and hitting his head on a windowsill.<\/p>\n
Thompson\u2019s witness statement was supported by his cousin Philemonia Nathan, who also claimed to be present during the alleged confession.<\/p>\n
Both their statements were used as evidence in Pickering\u2019s murder trial<\/a>.<\/p>\n When Thompson was first questioned at the inquest by Lily Nunweek, counsel to assist the coroner, he maintained what he had told police.<\/p>\n He said he had a meeting with Pickering, next to Poseidyn\u2019s body, and the father had admitted to fatally striking him.<\/p>\n While he also agreed that he had told police Pickering had made a backhanding gesture showing how he hit Poseidyn, he told Nunweek he could no longer recall Pickering making the gesture, and only hearing him admitting to it.<\/p>\n \u2018One of youse knows something\u2019<\/p>\n Thompson\u2019s questioning was stopped by the coroner when a heated argument could be heard from outside the courtroom.<\/p>\n The dispute was between members of Poseidyn\u2019s extended family and a woman could be heard asking someone to \u201cstep outside\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of youse knows something,\u201d someone shouted.<\/p>\n Security intervened and one of Pickering\u2019s relatives was shifted to a separate room.<\/p>\n Poseidyn\u2019s mother, Filoi Huakau, who had been sitting quietly in the back of the court, was moved to sit by her counsel to assist, Kima Tuialii.<\/p>\n Contradicting statements and an admission<\/p>\n When the hearing resumed, Thompson contradicted what he had said earlier.<\/p>\n He said Pickering had not stated aloud that he hit Poseidyn, and only mimed it with his hand.<\/p>\n After a muddled back-and-forth with Tuialii, Kingi Snelgar, Pickering\u2019s counsel to assist, questioned Thompson.<\/p>\n \u201cWould it be fair to say that the [police] statement that you made at the time was motivated by your mamae [pain] and wanting someone to be held responsible for Poseidyn\u2019s death?\u201d Snelgar asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d Thompson replied.<\/p>\n However, while Thompson continued to say Pickering had allegedly confessed, Snelgar suggested Thompson had been influenced by his cousin, Nathan.<\/p>\n \u201cYou and Ms Nathan talked about having someone responsible,\u201d Snelgar prompted. <\/p>\n \u201cIs it the case that [Pickering] never said those things, and you are wrong about what he told you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll I wanted was just someone to be responsible, that\u2019s all [it] was, yes,\u201d Thompson replied.<\/p>\n To clarify, Coroner Fitzgibbon asked Thompson again if Pickering had said, aloud, that he hit Poseidyn, to which Thompson replied \u201cnah\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI was influenced by my cousin,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n NZME has since approached police and asked if there would be an investigation into Thompson\u2019s admission.<\/p>\n A police spokesperson said they were aware of Thompson\u2019s comments made at the inquest and would wait for the coronial process to conclude before determining what, if any, action to take. <\/p>\n \u2018Every single one of them are responsible\u2019<\/p>\n This week, Nathan was called to give evidence, during which she became emotional. <\/p>\nA child’s car seat in the driveway of the Manurewa home where baby Poseidyn was found unresponsive in 2020. Photo \/ NZME<\/p>\n
Kingi Snelgar, assisting baby Poseidyn’s father, Anthony Simon Pickering, at the inquest. Photo \/ NZME<\/p>\n