Pot-smoking mum found guilty of son's manslaughter

Wendy-May Connon heading to Masterton District Court last year on charges including danagerous driving causing the death of her son Konrad,4.

A Wairarapa mother who crashed her car, killing her four-year-old son, was today found guilty in the High Court at Wellington of his manslaughter.

The jury of five men and seven women delivered their verdict at 1.45pm, after beginning their deliberations at 4pm yesterday.

Wendy-May Connon was behind the wheel when her car left the road in Featherston, flipping and rolling several times, on January 16 last year.

Her four-year-old son Konrad Truger was thrown about 30m from the vehicle. He suffered severe brain injuries and died three days later.

In his summing up, Crown prosecutor Mark O'Donoghue told the jury Connon was impaired from the cannabis in her system, she had also been speeding, and Konrad was only secured by a lap belt and wasn't sitting in a booster seat.

Connon's lawyer Jock Blathwayt said there was no evidence she was affected by the cannabis and Konrad would have died regardless of whether he was in a booster seat.

Before the verdict was read, Justice Joseph Williams said it was a tense time and urged those present to remain calm.

He remanded Connon on bail. Sentencing was set for September 24.

Leaving the dock, Connon said: "Thanks for nothing."

Outside the courtroom, tearful family members consoled each other.

Detective Mana Faraimo said there were no winners from the outcome.

"We still have two grieving families grieving over their four-year-old son.

"It does send a clear message to the public that they should take great care and caution when they have children in a vehicle."

Speeding and taking drugs were a dangerous combination, he said.

- NZPA