A man on trial for murdering a two-year-old girl found dead in the roof of her family home told police he had never accessed the roof and the toddler's mother was the last person to see her alive.
The Victorian Supreme Court also heard evidence from a pathologist who said the injuries that caused the toddler to lose between a quarter and a third of her blood could not have been inflicted by "a small person".
John Clifford Torney, 32, denies killing Nikki Francis-Coslovich who was discovered dead on August 25 last year from injuries the pathologist described as akin to those seen in high-speed vehicle accidents.
Crown prosecutors allege Torney bashed Nikki to death but the defence says the toddler's mother, Peta-Ann Francis, killed her own daughter.
Yeliena Baber, who conducted the autopsy, gave evidence Nikki's many bruises and abrasions appeared to have been caused by a clenched fist.
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"It would have to be someone strong to inflict those injuries, not a small person," she told the court in Mildura on Monday.
Dr Baber compared the injuries to the type sustained in "a high-speed vehicle accident or a fall from a great height".
The cause of death was blunt force trauma from "repeated blows to her abdomen and chest", she said.
The court heard Torney told police in his record of interview played to the court Ms Francis was the last person to have seen Nikki alive.
Ms Francis had checked the toddler was in her bed around 1pm before the couple went into her bedroom to have sex, he said in his record of interview.
"Peta was the last one to check on Nikki and she was in her bed," he told police.
When he went to wake Nikki around 2.45pm, he discovered she was gone, Torney said.
Torney said he began a search of the house and yard, including "the cupboards, the fridge, f***ing freezer" and the washing machine, the court heard.
Torney told police he didn't believe in hitting kids and had never smacked his own children.
He became distressed when he was told the toddler was found in the roof cavity of the house, saying, "Are youse playing f***ing mind games or something with me, you f*** heads?"
He denied knowing there was a manhole and cried during his record of interview.
Sergeant Kaare Anderson, who responded to the missing person report the day Nikki died, gave evidence that Ms Francis was smiling and appeared happy when he arrived at the house around 3.28pm.
"I immediately thought that was very odd," Sgt Anderson said.
Torney appeared upset and "slightly teary", Sgt Anderson told the court.
He had told Sgt Anderson Nikki had seemed "pretty tired but pretty good" earlier in the day, the court heard.
The trial continues.
