In 2010, 6yo Kiesha was murdered. Now her stepfather, an accomplice, has been granted parole.

In July 2010, six-year-old Kiesha Weippeart was murdered.

It would take another three years before her mother Kristi Abrahams and stepfather Robert Smith, were arrested and charged by police.

The public outrage was swift when it was revealed who the culprits were, after the couple had wept in a televised public appeal in August 2010, calling for any information on where missing Kiesha was.

Abrahams said: "If anyone has seen her, can they please contact the police."

Smith then added: "Last time I saw her was, we were watching a movie together, you know? Anyone, someone must know something. Please come forward. She's beautiful, you know? Funny, always happy."

But the truth was that Kiesha had dealt with physical abuse her whole life at home. And it had eventually resulted in her death. Now 13 years on, Robert Smith has been granted parole. 

Watch: behind the scenes of the case with one of the lead detectives. Post continues below.

As for what really happened to Kiesha, Abrahams later admitted that she had physically assaulted her daughter when the child "wouldn't put on her pyjamas". Kiesha sustained severe injuries that night. Although both Abrahams and Smith knew their child was injured, they failed to get medical help.

Abrahams then said Kiesha died overnight in their Mount Druitt home. 

Once the pair discovered Kiesha, Smith horrifically disposed of the child's body a few days afterwards, also later destroying evidence and giving false accounts to police, media and the Department of Community Services.

He had put the deceased child's body in a suitcase, set it alight and then buried the remains in bushland in Sydney's outer west. The couple then tried to destroy evidence that would link them to her death by throwing away their clothes, shoes and mobile phone SIM cards. 

An autopsy later revealed that Kiesha had in fact sustained numerous injuries including teeth fractures and ten separate head injuries in the days leading up to her death. There was evidence she was physically abused throughout her short life. A judge said there was little proof that it was her mother specifically who had inflicted all of those injuries.

For months afterwards, they pretended their little girl had gone missing. But homicide detectives believed there was a different, more disturbing truth. The couple were arrested eight months later while visiting the gravesite to mark what would have been Kiesha's seventh birthday. 

Smith pleaded guilty to his role in the cover-up of the murder.

He was sentenced to at least 12 years for manslaughter by gross criminal negligence and being an accessory after the fact to murder.

Abrahams was convicted of murdering her daughter and jailed for at least 16 years, the judge saying Abrahams had not intended to kill her daughter, but instead cause grievous bodily harm. Abrahams remains behind bars and parole will be on the cards for her from 2027. 

Kristi Abrahams speaking to the media before police charged her with murder. Robert Smith stands next to her in the white cap. Image: AAP.

On Tuesday this week Smith, now 43, was granted parole after the NSW State Parole Authority formed an initial intention to release him in February.

The decision has been met with frustration from the community and advocates for Kiesha. 

Sighs of disappointment came from public gallery attendees wearing shirts carrying the slogan "We Say No Parole For Child Killers Never To Be Released" when the decision was handed down.

Outside court this week, a former friend of Kristi Abrahams turned victim's advocate, Alison Anderson, told reporters Smith was a "putrid grub" who should not be released.

"I just feel like we've failed... but we're going to keep on fighting," Anderson said. "It's just been one big kick in the gut."

Smith will be subject to strict conditions during his four-year parole, including not entering the Penrith or Blacktown local government areas, where he used to reside with Abrahams and Keisha before the murder. 

"There is nothing to indicate the offender will not comply with those conditions," new State Parole Authority chair Geoffrey Bellew said. "There is not the slightest indication the offender has at any time acted in an antisocial way while working in that community setting."

Reports to the parole authority stated Smith developed an insight into his offending and expressed remorse.

Smith's release was supported by reports from the Serious Offenders Review Council and Community Corrections, which will monitor him. They noted Smith behaved positively in prison, going from maximum to minimum security while completing education programs and working. His custodial employment included working in the community in a rural area in NSW, and he is also not allowed to contact his ex-partner, Abrahams who continues to serve out her sentence. 

Retired detective chief inspector Russell Oxford told reporters that curiosity carried him to attend the parole hearing and see for himself what Smith's fate would be. 

"I came today to see if there was any remorse on the face of Robert Smith," Mr Oxford said to AAP. "The other reason I wanted to be here today was ... (Kiesha) had no one speaking for her in all her life. She lived six years of abuse, I just don't want her to just be remembered as a statistic."

Smith was as he remembered him during the investigation – "emotionless and expressionless" – but hearing he had expressed remorse gave some comfort, Mr Oxford said.

He said the parole authority researched the judgement well, and the decision was "very, very fair".

"At least this way we've got a little bit of an opportunity to monitor him to see if he's genuine, and genuine in his remorse, and he can start again," Mr Oxford said.

The court was told Smith would be released on parole between April 21 and 28 this year.

In the meantime, Kiesha's loved ones continue to advocate on her behalf.

"I've been Kiesha's voice from (the) word go and I wanted to see it through," Anderson said to A Current Affair. 

"They gave him parole, I don't understand why. It seems like we've failed our little angel. He took her body into the bush and set her alight and they put him in the community.

"I just want everybody to remember this beautiful little girl. All she wanted to do was grow up and she would have been 19 this year."

If you or someone you know is at risk of violence, contact 1800 RESPECT or the police on 000.

With AAP.

Feature Image: AAP.