Hamilton isolation hotel dash: Teens accused of fleeing appear in court, were trying to get to dad's funeral

The teenagers who allegedly fled an isolation hotel with their mother were trying to get to their father's funeral, a court has heard.

But the family were arrested and charged, and faced court as their father's funeral went ahead in Auckland.

The court heard the family had fundraised in Australia, where they had lived for a long time, to fly back to New Zealand to attend the funeral.

Four of the family members have now been provided with the opportunity to view the funeral by video link.

The 37-year-old mother who allegedly fled the Distinction Hotel with her children has appeared in Hamilton District Court via video link, wearing a face mask, today.

The woman cannot be named to protect the identity of her children, two of whom are minors.

The children charged alongside her are aged 18, 17 and 16.

A 12-year-old who also escaped did not face charges.

Judge Noel Cocurullo granted the woman, a resident of Brisbane, bail. The woman was bailed to a managed isolation facility in Auckland.

He extended his sympathies to the woman over the death but slammed her behaviour for potentially putting New Zealanders at risk of Covid-19.

"I need to make it plain to you that the community I serve, the New Zealand public are sick and tired of people breaching the strict quarantine rules."

He said New Zealanders had done an extraordinary job keeping Covid-19 out of the community and if her actions had put that in jeopardy Kiwis would be "gutted".

She was ordered to surrender her passport and not apply for any travel documents.

Judge Cocurullo asked police to request the funeral be filmed for the family to watch at a later date.

An 18-year-old woman and 16-year-old youth, who also appeared via video link in Hamilton, were granted bail under the same conditions which included another Covid-19 test.

A 17-year-old youth appeared via video link from Waitakere District Court.

Judge Cocurullo also expressed his sympathies to the 17-year-old but said his alleged actions were very serious.

The teenager was remanded without plea and under the same bail conditions. He would be remanded at the same facility as the rest of his family.