Moses' mother due in court today for concealing body

The mother of a newborn baby boy found dead in a Hastings garden this year allegedly concealed the unplanned birth from her friends, family and the child's father.

The 24-year-old Hastings woman was identified and arrested by police on Tuesday night after DNA testing, and will appear in court today charged with concealing the dead body of the baby, named Moses by police.

Baby Moses' naked and badly decomposed body was found in long grass at the rear of the Christian Community Movement for Christian Renewal centre in Hastings' Heretaunga Street East on January 4.

After an autopsy, the child was buried at Hastings Cemetery on January 13.

Detective Sergeant Luke Shadbolt, of Hastings CIB, said the baby boy's mother had been living near the Christian centre at the time of his death and was one of 12 women who police had DNA tested.

She had moved to another Hastings address since the death, and it was at that address that police arrested her.

Mr Shadbolt said the woman was surprised to be arrested after six months, but was "quite relieved" after talking to police.

The woman's partner, who did not know about her pregnancy, was also very surprised by Tuesday night's events, Mr Shadbolt said. The woman told police she had been unaware she was pregnant, and that she gave birth alone at home.

Baby Moses had gone full-term, but when the woman discovered her son was stillborn, she decided to dispose of the body at the Christian centre.

Mr Shadbolt said the woman could not tell police why she dumped the body.

He confirmed police were not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident, and that no other charges were likely to be laid.

Police were satisfied that the child had been stillborn, as the woman claimed.

The woman was granted bail and was yesterday making preparations for her court appearance.

Mr Shadbolt said the woman had been "a bit scared" about all the publicity surrounding Baby Moses, and had not attended the child's funeral.

Baby Moses was the first of two newborn babies found dead in Hastings in January.

The second baby, which police named Aaron after the brother of Moses in the Bible, was found dead in a sewer by a plumber called to fix a blocked drain in Cobham Place on January 24. Baby Aaron's 15-year-old mother was also discovered by DNA testing, in March.

- NZPA