Mother admits to daughter's killing

A Northland woman whose 18-month-old daughter drowned after she left her in bush near Whangarei pleaded guilty yesterday to her child's manslaughter.

The 31-year-old was due to go on trial in the High Court at Whangarei, but admitted the manslaughter charge before Justice David Baragwanath.

On or about March 7, the woman took the girl into bush at Parua Bay and left her there.

The next day, the mother was discovered traumatised in a nearby house.

She then led police into the bush to where she left the child.

Her daughter was not there but was found later lying in a pool of water.

A post-mortem examination showed the child had drowned.

- NZPA