KEY POINTS:
The woman at the centre of a drink-driving case in which five unrestrained children were found in the car has told family she was forced into driving to avoid a domestic incident.
Trevina Rose Baker, 28, a Whangarei watersider and mother of four, was caught by police at 1.20am on Friday, where she allegedly recorded a breath-alcohol reading of more than twice the legal limit.
The five unrestrained children in the car were under the age of 4, police said. A sixth child was restrained. Police allege Baker blew 839 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit is 400mcg.
At the time she was pulled over, it was claimed there had been a domestic disturbance at the home she had been drinking at and she wanted to get the children home.
She was also wanted by the Whangarei District Court on a warrant for failing to appear on November 12 to answer a charge of intentional damage over an incident on November 8 in which she is alleged to have smashed three windows at a home.
Baker was at her parents' house yesterday but would not talk to the Herald about her experience.
Her father, George Baker, said she was unhappy with her actions. "She's pretty peeved at the situation she was put in," he said.
Ms Baker claims she was fleeing a violent episode at another family member's house and pulled the children from their beds for their own safety.
Mr Baker said the family knew there could be flak for what happened. "The family is ready for it ... Everyone wants to know what happened."
The Herald understands the family have had a difficult time with the sudden deaths of two relatives.
Mr Baker said the mother of the other two children in the car had left her job and gone to Ruakaka to avoid reporters.
A neighbour of the Bakers, who wouldn't be named, said Ms Baker came to her "in tears" on Saturday morning once news of the incident broke.
"She was angry at some of the things that got said [in the media]."
