Daughter charged with mother's death

Annie Rangi (right) from Wairoa is charged with the death of Aileen MacDonald (left) who died from from several injuries at Hawkes Bay Hospital on December 31. Photo / Supplied

Name suppression has been lifted for a daughter charged with the manslaughter of her elderly Napier mother.

Annie Rangi, 52, from Wairoa is charged with the death of Aileen MacDonald who died from several injuries at Hawkes Bay Hospital on December 31 last year, after an alleged assault at a Napier home on December 28.

Rangi's name suppression was lifted at a hearing in the High Court at Wellington today.

On January 6, Rangi appeared at Napier District Court charged with the manslaughter of her mother after an assault charge, laid on December 30, was dropped as police continued their investigation into Mrs MacDonald's death.

At the 70-year-old grandmother's funeral she was described by her family as "young at heart" and "always a bright light".

Mrs MacDonald was born into a large family and was one of five sisters and two brothers who grew up on a farm near Wairoa.

Her eldest child, Johnny Mohlmann, said his mother was "a huge success" and recalled fond memories of her 70th birthday in August last year.

Speaking at her funeral on January 3, he said his mum enjoyed a "mischievous spirit", was young at heart and a "bit of a thrillseeker".

"She liked fast cars and she was always telling me when I was driving her to 'boot it son'."

The grandmother of seven and great-grandmother of two "loved" her jet boating, skydiving and also swam with the sharks at the National Aquarium in Napier.

Rangi declined to comment following her court appearance in Napier on January 6. She is due to reappear in court in April.