Auckland woman denies killing husband

File photo / NZH

A woman who allegedly stabbed her partner to death in an east Auckland property in December will defend the charge.

Xiaoyan Hu, 31, was initially charged with assault but this has since been upgraded to one charge of manslaughter.

Hu's partner Jiacui Xiao, 45, was critically injured from a stab wound to his neck when police arrived at an address on Willoughby Ave, Howick, on December 8. He died while being taken to hospital.

Detective Inspector Ian McGill, of Otara police, said it appeared the two had been involved in a domestic dispute.

Hu's mother, a Chinese national, was at the address at the time and had been spoken to by police, he said.

Hu briefly appeared in Manukau District Court this morning where her lawyer Barry Hart indicated she would defend the charge.

She was remanded in custody to reappear for a bail application hearing on February 25.

Mr McGill said police opposed bail at this stage.

The couple had a three-month-old child together, who was now in Child Youth and Family Care, he said.

- NZPA