CYF 'oversight' in drowned baby case

A Child Youth and Family supervisor says an oversight meant a parental assessment was not carried out in the case of a baby boy who was returned to his parents and allegedly drowned by his mother.

The woman, who cannot be named, has pleaded not guilty in the High Court at Auckland to a charge of murder.

She is accused of leaving her 13-month-old baby alone in a full bath for about 15 minutes to drown and not calling emergency services, who were only contacted when her husband returned home 30 minutes after the boy's body was pulled out of the water.

The baby and his sister, 5, had been living in a Child Youth and Family (CYF) safe house because their mother was unable to cope with caring for them on her own. Their father was not allowed to see the family because of a protection order after he assaulted his wife.

The children had been in CYF care for about seven months before returning to live with both parents. The baby drowned two days later on November 8 last year.

CYF supervisor Shakti Adams, who oversaw the social worker assigned to the case, told the High Court at Auckland that a parenting assessment was one of the steps taken to see what assistance could be provided for the family.

But this did not happen, "primarily because of an oversight," she said.

"I think at this point it's more a case of hindsight."

There was also supposed to be a family group conference held before the children returned to their parents' care, but this also did not happen.

The decision to return the children to their parents was made by a meeting of professionals - social workers, doctors and CYF workers.

- NZPA