On Eyewitness - it's been 20 years since the killing of a child shocked the country. We said it must never happen again. So why has it? Produced by Katie Doyle.

When James Whakaruru died, the only part of his little body that wasn't bruised were the soles of his feet. It's a case that has stayed with journalist Doug Laing for a long time. It's now been 20 years since the killing of child shocked the country. We said it must never happen again. So why has it?

"I don't think anybody goes out to kill a child."

Doug Laing was a journalist in Hawke's Bay for a long time, but he's not your classic hardened journo.

He cares a lot about people and loves Hawke's Bay. He's lived there most of his life and probably knows most of the people who live there too.

Being a court reporter, homicides weren't new for him and after a while, one just ran into the next.

The story of James Whakaruru, who was killed in 1999, was different though. That one has stayed with Doug.

Riri o te Rangi 'James' Whakaruru was born in Hawke's Bay on 13 June 1994. His mum, Te Rangi Whakaruru, was just 15 and his dad Kevin wasn't on the scene.

When James was one, his mum fell in love with a local guy called Benny Haerewa.

One of the first domestic incidents between Haerewa and Te Rangi happened at the end of 1995.

Police were called, but no complaint was filed by Te Rangi. There are no records that police referred her on to Women's Refuge or Victim Support.

A year later, James was rushed to the Emergency Department, covered head-to-toe in bruises.

His injuries weren't accidental.

Haerewa was charged with injuring with intent and was ordered to stay away from James, but Te Rangi and Haerewa saw each other often before he eventually went to prison.

At the same time, James' maternal grandmother contacted Child, Youth and Family, warning that the little boy wasn't safe.

For a while, James stayed with his grandparents, but at some point, he was returned to Te Rangi.

When Haerewa was released in 1997, he and Te Rangi picked up their relationship where they left off.

They picked up the abuse, too.

James would get hit with jug cords, wood, and a steel vacuum cleaner pipe.

Once, Haerewa hit James with a hammer because the four-year-old wouldn't call him 'daddy'

When James died, the only part of his little body that wasn't bruised were the soles of his feet. His arm was broken, and his intestines were ruptured.

It was later established that James had died from one, or several, extremely prolonged beatings that had caused massive internal injuries. …

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details