Cairns court: Teavae Bryce Vaevae charged with murder of baby

A man charged with the murder of a nine-week-old baby hung his head in his hands during a commital hearing to determine if there was enough evidence for him to stand trial. Find out what happened.

A Cairns man will stand trial accused of murdering a nine week old baby boy.

Kaison Vaevae died from catastrophic brain injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome, Cairns Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday.

Five witnesses were cross-examined at the committal hearing for Teavae Bryce Vaevae, who was 22 at the time of the alleged murder in June 2021 at a unit in Woree.

Asked by Magistrate Bevan Hughes if he wanted to say anything, Mr Vaevae said “I plead not guilty to murder, but guilty to manslaughter”.

Teavae Bryce Vaevae and baby Kaison. Picture: Supplied

Mr Hughes began to commit Mr Vaevae for sentencing, but Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane interjected and said the Crown’s case was murder, and Mr VaeVae was committed to stand trial on that charge.

It emerged after the death of Kaison that Mr Vaevae was not the biological father of the child, the court heard.

But Kaison’s mother Rawinia Inez Te Moni said that was a possibility the couple had discussed and Mr Vaevae accepted the child as his, although no paternity test was done during the baby’s short life.

Kaison was taken to Cairns Hospital in a critical condition on June 6 before being flown to Townsville Hospital, where he subsequently died.

Defence barrister Joshua Trevino, QC, suggested to witnesses Kaison could have been injured or kicked off a bed by one of Ms Te Moni’s other three young children.

But two medical experts said the brain injuries and retinal heomharraging were consistent with having been shaken forcefully.

Kaison VaeVae died aged nine weeks from brain injuries consistent with having been shaken, Cairns Magistrates Court has heard. Picture: supplied.

Dr Beng Beng Ong, who conducted an autopsy on Kaison’s body, agreed fractured ribs could have been as a result of a child jumping hard on him or from having CPR performed on him, but he said long limb fractures were consistent with having been shaken forcefully.

Queensland Children’s Hospital paediatrician Dr Deanna True described in her report a “constellation of severe injuries” that indicated shaking, the court heard.

Ms Te Moni suffered complications after a C-section on April 2 when she gave birth to Kaison and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, with her family fearing for her life.

She said Mr Vaevae was a caring and devoted father to Kaison who took on a large role caring for him.

Ms Te Moni’s mother gave evidence that her daughter was suffering depression and she had offered to take Kaison into her care as Ms Te Moni said to her “he’s crying a lot”.

Ms Te Moni said while she was in hospital, Mr VaeVae told her Kaison had fallen from a bed.

“I was not told anything too concerning about it,” she said.

She said in her statement to police that “Bryce was more patient than me, he seems to handle the constant screaming better than me”, the court heard.

A trial date is yet to be set.

Originally published as Cairns court: Teavae Bryce Vaevae charged with murder of baby