Mum charged with son's death

Kayden's mother has been charged with his murder. Photo / Facebook

A Kiwi dad is in mourning after his 22-month-old son was allegedly drowned by the toddler's mother off the coast of Western Australia.

Eddie Wetere, 23, was being comforted by family last night after his son, Te Reringa Kayden Ashley - known as Kayden, was found floating in water at Hillarys Boat Harbour, a popular Perth tourist spot.

Kayden's 22-year-old mother, Gemma Killeen, appeared in Joondalup Magistrates Court on Friday facing a murder charge and was remanded in custody to undergo psychological tests.

Killeen, an Australian, had phoned police on Thursday afternoon to report her son missing.

The toddler was spotted in the ocean soon after.

Passers-by pulled him from the water and gave him CPR as paramedics raced to the scene.

St John Ambulance took Kayden to hospital but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Messages of support having been pouring into Wetere's Facebook page since the death.

His father, Harold Byrne, wrote: "Hey son. U b strong. Dad and maria wil Always b their 4 U. R.I.P KAYDEN. Luv u son."

Another friend wrote: "Mate i just wanna say i am so so so sorry ur little boy was taken so soon, god only calls the best home early n god needed ur lil man, rip."

In one online picture, Wetere is pictured with his tiny son wearing matching Super 14 Hurricanes rugby jerseys.

A cousin of Wetere, who did not give his name, told the Herald on Sunday yesterday he had spoken to his cousin since the death but "he didn't say much".

At Wetere's father's house in Porirua yesterday no one was home, and neighbours said the family had left in a hurry in the last few days.

Killeen wrote about the difficulties she had while pregnant with Kayden on the MySpace page of a friend in 2008: "um a lil scared hahah just have nooo idea wat to expect ppl keep telling me but it aint nothing like the real thing:P"