A father accused of murdering his son has appeared in the Rotorua District Court this morning.
William James Sio appeared before Judge Greg Hollister today and was remanded in custody to appear in the High Court on March 13.
He did not enter a plea.
His son, Rotorua boy Ferro-James Eramiha Tiopira Sio, five, died in hospital on February 8 after an incident on Union St.
Police said Sio had previously been charged with assault of a child, before it was upgraded to murder on Ferro-James' death.
Leeza Rawiri, 28, also appeared on a charge of neglect.
Her lawyer Moana Dorset had argued for name suppression on the grounds that the boy was not her son but that was denied.
She appeared by audio visual link and largely kept her head down during proceedings.
Rawiri was remanded in custody to appear in the High Court at Rotorua on March 13 with her co-accused.
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