Hamilton baby murder: Details of accused suppressed after hospital bedside court hearing

WARNING: Graphic content.

• A 34-year-old man has been charged with murder after allegedly killing a baby in Hamilton.
• He also faces attempted murder charges for attacks on another child and a woman.
• His name will remain secret for now after a hospital bedside court hearing.

A special bedside court hearing was held for the man charged with murdering a baby and trying to kill another child and a woman at a Hamilton address.

At that special District Court hearing yesterday, the accused was granted interim name suppression.

The names of the baby victim, child and injured woman were also suppressed.

Under New Zealand law, automatic name suppression applies to protect living victims under the age of 18.

The 34-year-old is facing one charge of murder after allegedly killing the baby at an address on Douglas Cres, Fairfield, on New Year’s Day.

He is also facing two charges of attempted murder for his alleged attacks on another young child and a woman.

He was found near the scene with injuries police believed were self-inflicted after the incident.

At his bedside hearing, the man was remanded in custody until his first appearance in the High Court at Hamilton.

He is scheduled to appear before a judge on February 4.

Police at the Douglas Cres address in Hamilton where a child was killed and other people were injured in an alleged assault on New Year's Eve. Photo / NZME

Douglas Cres resident Ian, who did not give his surname, said he woke on Wednesday to a police officer outside his house and a pool of blood “dripping into the gutter”.

“It’s a crappy situation,” he said.

“I think it was about 9am and [the police officer] was sitting on a seat and I saw the empty open medic’s bag, and the blood on the ground.

“I thought, ‘Oh, okay, something’s gone down’.”

Ian said it was upsetting to “find out that it’s kids” who had been the victims.

“It’s just all kinds of messed up.“

Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate says she is hugely saddened by the "senseless death of a child and the harm to others" in the incident in Douglas Cres, Fairfield.

Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate said the incident was a tragic start to the year.

“I am hugely saddened by the tragic and senseless death of a child and the harm to others.

“My thoughts are with family, friends and the community of Fairfield,” she said.

Police said emergency services were called shortly after midnight to Douglas Cres after a report of an assault.

“When police arrived at the property, they found one person dead and two others seriously injured, who were transported to hospital.

“A 34-year-old man was found a short distance from the address with serious injuries and was also transported to hospital, where he remains under police guard.”

Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders confirmed later that a baby had died, and another child and a woman remained in hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders and other police at the scene in Hamilton this week. Photo / NZME

“We extend our sympathies to the whānau at this tragic time and will provide ongoing support.

“A scene examination is ongoing at the Douglas Cres property, and police are speaking with a number of people as they work to build a full picture of what has occurred.”

Saunders acknowledged it was a “distressing incident”, and the community is understandably concerned.

“We would like to reiterate that this was an isolated event and there is no risk to the wider public.

“Police thank the community for their patience and understanding as we continue to undertake our inquiries.”

Police at the scene in Hamilton. Photo / NZME

The Herald has reported that during the attack the woman ran to get help from neighbours - but the alleged offender “dragged” her back home.

The man was also rushed to hospital with what a source said was self-inflicted injuries.

Police have carried out a detailed scene examination at several houses on the street - the victims’ home and another house.

At the second house, blood could be seen smeared on the walls of the porch and frame of the front door.

The residents at the address declined to comment.

Others said the alleged offender was stopped by police dogs on nearby McPherson Place.

He had reportedly been jumping fences as he moved between properties trying to escape police.

Police have carried out a detailed scene examination at several houses on Douglas Cres. Photo / NZME

Near the location of his capture, large pools of blood could be seen dried onto the footpath.

Jesse, a local resident who said he was one of the first on the scene told the Herald: “I knew the baby was gone ... it was lifeless”.

He said he knew something was wrong when he saw a man dragging a woman across the street.

Jesse told the Herald he saw the woman bleeding from the neck.

“I was trying to look for [the alleged offender] to make sure the kids were okay because we know that they had kids there,” he said.

“That’s all we wanted to know if they were okay, but I didn’t want to go inside at the time.”

Fairfield resident Kasey says she helped look after uninjured children at the scene of what became a homicide investigation. Photo / Dean Purcell

He said the alleged offender was found at a nearby property.

The last time he saw the injured woman she couldn’t breathe properly but was speaking.

Another neighbour, Kasey, said she and other neighbours helped keep two uninjured children safe, wrapping them in blankets.

“[One child] was playing with a doll and she mimicked what she saw. The trauma that poor child has to live with.”

She said a nana and auntie arrived at the scene and “dropped to ground, screaming and bawling” after learning what had happened.

Anna Leask is a Christchurch-based reporter who covers national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 18 years with a particular focus on family and gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual violence, homicides, mental health and youth crime. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on nzherald.co.nz