Did Christchurch babysitter murder one-year-old girl in her care? Jury goes home after hours of deliberation

After five and a half hours of deliberations, the 11 person jury in the murder trial of 22-year-old babysitter Shayal Sami is yet to reach a verdict. 

They have left the High Court in Christchurch for the weekend after telling Justice Rachel Dunningham they want to continue their deliberations on Monday. 

Justice Dunningham cautioned the jury not to discuss the case with anyone over the weekend and "treat yourselves as if you are sequestered". 

A one-year-old baby girl, Aaliyah Chand, who was in Ms Sami's care, suffered two skull fractures, internal bleeding and severe facial bruising, and died from her injuries in January 2015.

The Crown case is that the injuries weren't accidental, but inflicted by the defendant.

The accused was pregnant at the time, and looked after Aaliyah during the day, while her father went to work as a bus driver.

She and a neighbour rushed the little girl to hospital, where she appeared floppy and unresponsive on January 7, 2015.

The murder accused told hospital staff she had fallen from a couch where she had been sleeping.

However the Crown prosecutor Mark Zarifeh told the jury: "The injuries were inflicted in a moment of anger and frustration, and the Crown says in relation to the murder charge, it's a reckless killing."

The defence case states that the baby's death was a "tragic accident".

Defence Lawyer Jonathan Eaton, QC told the jury in his opening statement: "I want to make it clear from the outset, there was no crime committed here, there was no murder, no manslaughter, no assault.

"What motive would she have to murder a toddler in her care?"

Aaliyah's family have been sitting in the public gallery to await the verdict.