Hot-car death: Discharged without conviction
- Publish date
- Friday, 5 Jun 2015, 10:33AM
A Wanganui health professional who pleaded guilty to manslaughter after a child was left in a hot car has been discharged without conviction.
Before Justice Simon France in the High Court at Wanganui this morning, the woman began crying at the first mention of the boy's name.
About 20 people attended in the public gallery, many sharing tearful hugs during a morning adjournment.
The 16-month-old boy, whose name has been suppressed, died in the Whanganui Hospital car park on January 16. Police have not publicly confirmed the circumstances of his death, but charged the 35-year-old woman with his manslaughter in April.
The charging document stated she "omitted without lawful excuse to perform her legal duty to provide that child with necessaries, thereby bringing the death of the child in circumstances where her omission was a major departure from the standard of care expected of a reasonable person to whom that legal duty applied".
She pleaded guilty to the charge last month and was referred to Restorative Justice. Her lawyer, Debbie Goodlet, applied for a discharge without a conviction.
Justice France began proceedings this morning by ordering permanent name suppression for the toddler and the defendant.
Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you
