The stepfather of a two-year-old girl has been charged with her rape and murder in northern NSW over Easter.
Police allege the 23-year-old man raped and murdered the little girl during a 20-minute period when her mother was out of the family home.
Detective Inspector Darren Jamieson told ABC Radio on Friday that the girl received "a series of blows to her abdomen, which caused an injury that later lead to her death".
The girl was taken to Coffs Harbour Health Campus on Easter Sunday but died the day later.
"She deteriorated very, very quickly and as a result she died in the early hours of Monday the 21st of April."
He told Macquarie Radio he believed the toddler was attacked while her mother was out of home for 20 minutes.
Her stepfather was arrested on Thursday afternoon at Coffs Harbour, following an almost two-week long investigation.
He is due before Coffs Harbour Local Court on Friday, facing charges of murder and aggravated sexual assault with a child under 10.
He will also face drug charges.
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