Auckland, Feb 24 NZPA - The brother of an Auckland woman on trial for the murder of a three-year-old child in her care said she told him to say the child fell off a trampoline, a court was told today.

Patricia Angela Pickering, 38, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Dylan Hohepa Tonga Rimoni, two charges of causing him grievous bodily harm, and one of assault.

Pickering was the caregiver for Dylan, who died in Auckland's Starship Hospital in April 2008.

The assault and grievous bodily harm charges arose from alleged incidents between December 1, 2007, and April 1, 2008.

In the High Court at Auckland today, Frank Hogan, defending Pickering, asked witness Adam Pickering, the accused's brother, if he had ever seen Dylan fall off a trampoline.

He said he had not.

Mr Hogan then asked Mr Pickering if he had ever seen Dylan crying on the ground underneath the trampoline.

He said that when he spoke to the police he told them what he had been told to say by his sister.

He told the court he had not seen an incident involving the child and the trampoline.

Mr Hogan asked Mr Pickering if he was included in a meeting with doctors and nurses with his sister, the accused, and her partner Douglas Hoeta, at Starship Hospital on the day Dylan died.

He said he thought he was there, but he couldn't remember.

"Did you tell them the medical staff that between 9am and 10am on Saturday April 12 2008, you had put Dylan on the trampoline outside?", Mr Hogan asked.

Mr Pickering agreed.

Mr Hogan then asked Mr Pickering if he had told the doctors he had left Dylan to attend to his children in the house.

Mr Pickering said he was not sure.

"Either Patricia told you to say that or that was the truth or you are a good actor and you have made up the story?" Mr Hogan asked Mr Pickering, who repeated that the accused had told him to say that Dylan had fallen off the trampoline.

He gave similar answers to crown prosecutor Phil Hamlin, adding that his sister had asked him to say that because she was scared.

Pickering's trial began in the High Court at Auckland on Monday before a jury of seven men and five women. It has been set down for four weeks.