Mum ‘already received life sentence’ – Family First
NZ Herald 17 April 2015
The mother of a Whanganui toddler who died after allegedly being accidentally left in a car on a hot summer’s day has been charged with manslaughter.
The woman appeared in the Whanganui District Court yesterday but her name, and that of her husband, and all the details of the hearing were suppressed by the judge.
She was charged with the manslaughter of her 16-month-old son, (name withheld), on January 16 by failing to provide the necessaries of life.
University of Auckland law professor Dr Bill Hodge told TVNZ’s Breakfast show today the law imposed a duty on a caregiver of an infant to provide reasonable care.
“If you breach that duty or you appear to breach that duty and a person dies as a result, homicide is the outcome and the law says it could be culpable homicide, so that’s appropriate to go to the right authority being a high court jury trial.”
Family First NZ called on the police to drop the case altogether.
The mother had “already received a life sentence”, said national director Bob McCroskrie.
“She will have to live with the tragic outcome of the death of her son.
“What is the point of pursuing this further?”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11433889
Wanganui hot-car death: Mum charged with manslaughter
NZ Herald 16 April 2015
Following the court appearance today, Family First NZ called on the police to drop the case, saying the woman had “already received a life sentence” over the boy’s death.
“She will have to live with the tragic outcome of the death of her son. What is the point of pursuing this further?” Bob McCoskrie, national director of Family First NZ, said.
“This has had devastating consequences that no jail term or punishment could outweigh.
“There is a place for charges to be laid in similar circumstances, but when the outcome has been so tragic, it seems the mother has been punished enough.
“This does not appear to be a neglectful mother. It appears to be simply a tragic, tragic mistake.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11433576
Family First: Drop charges against woman
NewsTalk ZB 16 April 2015
The Family First lobby group believe police need to follow precedent and drop charges against a woman accused of the manslaughter of Whanganui toddler (name withheld).
The woman appeared in the Whanganui District Court this morning, was granted name suppression and will be back in court next month.
Family First’s national director Bob McCoskrie is pointing to a case where a father was given a let off after leaving the handbrake off his car, which led to his son’s death.
“We noticed that the court showed compassion and discharged without conviction, so I’m not quite sure why that precedent has been set, has been ignored by the police.”
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/manslaughter-charges-after-baby-dies-in-whanganui-hospital-carpark/
Whanganui car death: Woman charged with manslaughter
3News 16 April 2015
http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/whanganui-car-death-woman-charged-with-manslaughter-2015041610#axzz3XSzR9xXu
