"I think they'd also be concerned there was previous involvement with the family.''
Tukiwaho was sentenced to two years and one month in jail after killing her son by suffocating him after she had spent a day drinking.
It is the second time one of her babies had died in her care. The 30-year-old had been given information about the importance of safe sleeping practices following the cot death of her other child.
According to a summary of facts, Tukiwaho, a mother of five, had been sleeping with baby Tahi in the back seat of a car on January 5, 2011.
When Tukiwaho woke up the baby was blue and not breathing. It was found Tahi died as a result of probable accidental suffocation associated with an unsafe sleeping environment.
Her first child died early on January 25, 2008.
Police were called to a property where Tukiwaho was found intoxicated and she told them she had found one-month-old Hoani Benino dead in his cot.
The coroner found the cause of Hoani's death was sudden infant death syndrome (cot death).
Early in 2010, Tukiwaho became pregnant and was provided with information about sudden infant death syndrome and the importance of safe sleeping.
Throughout her pregnancy with Tahi and while she carried her other children, Tukiwaho drank excessively at least once or twice a week, the police summary said.
On at least one occasion she drank to the point of vomiting.
Justice Graham Lang said today that on the day before Tahi's death, Tukiwaho had drunk continuously for about 12 hours, mostly at her sister's place. She went home and had a heated argument with her partner, who left.
Justice Lang said that for some unknown reason Tukiwaho also left, returning to her sister's home with Tahi in a pram. When she couldn't wake anyone up she went to sleep in the car with Tahi who she had placed on her shoulder.
When she awoke he was blue and not breathing.
When spoken to by police Tukiwaho accepted she knew about the sleeping risks.
She has three other children, two of whom are in the custody of Child Youth and Family, and the other is in the care of the child's father.
Justice Lang said Tahi's death was preventable.
"Your son was dependent on you for everything . . . You failed him completely . . . He trusted you for his security. The price he paid was his death.''
Justice Lang said he accepted that Tukiwaho had not intended to harm Tahi and had done her best in her "befuddled'' state to make him comfortable.
"The circumstances leading up to his death tell all too graphically the effects that alcohol can have . . . You engaged in a sustained period of drinking, robbing you of the ability to reason and make sound judgments about your son's welfare.''
Justice Lang said even if the prison term had been less than two years, home detention would not have been suitable, given the need to denounce this offending. Tukiwaho also needed help for her alcohol addiction, which wouldn't happen if she was on home detention.
Tukiwaho's lawyer, Harry Edward, said Tukiwaho's remand in custody had been a wake-up call for her and in a letter to the judge wrote about how she wanted to overcome her alcohol problem.
In the letter, Tukiwaho said she had not provided a secure environment for her child and said her behaviour was selfish.
Tukiwaho acknowledged she had made a terrible mistake and causing the death of her child was unforgivable.
Family members of Tukiwaho were in court today but did not want to comment.
Ms Bennett said she had asked the chief executive of Child Youth and Family to investigate the circumstances surrounding the family. "It raises once again the question I have put to New Zealanders through the Green Paper process about whether we should be flagging parents who come to the attention of CYF to ensure subsequent children are protected as well as sharing information more widely.
"It's time we stopped tip toeing around these issues.''
- with APNZ
