Neglect charges dropped after girl found with maggots in hair

The woman's charges were withdrawn in the Porirua District Court yesterday. Photo / File

A woman has been let off charges of child neglect for a case in which a young Porirua girl was found to have maggots in her hair.

The charges were withdrawn in the Porirua District Court yesterday, less than a week after doctors spoke out to the Herald about treating children with maggot-infested scalps and rotting teeth.

The 46-year-old woman was initially charged with two counts of omitting to provide medical attention, the omission of which was likely to cause chickenpox and lice.

One of the children had been admitted to hospital and was found to have maggots in her hair.

The charges were withdrawn "following further consideration of the evidence in the case and expert advice from medical professionals", a police spokeswoman said.

The case has now been closed.

Last week, paediatricians opened up to the Herald about some of the cases they deal with.

"I see rotting teeth when I lift the lip of pre-schoolers . . . I see matted hair on maggot-infested scalps needing general anaesthetics just to clean and shave, MidCentral DHB paediatrician Dr Jeff Brown said.

He said for paediatricians around the country these horror stories were "business as usual" and it's getting worse.

Primary school kids were growing up with morbid obesity, hypoventilation, and metabolic syndromes that used to be things only adult physicians dealt with.

"I see rheumatic fever and bronchiectasis, 'third world' diseases of overcrowding and poverty, filling hospital beds and clinics."

He said three out of every four kids he discharged were heading back to cold and damp homes.

"Which is the main reason they ended up in hospital in the first place."