Silverdale baby death: ‘Astonishing and terrible loss’ - mother charged with murdering child excused from court hearing

The North Shore District Court. Photo / FIle

An Auckland mother charged with murdering her baby has been excused from her first court appearance as she undergoes hospital treatment for both mental health issues and serious injuries.

Police this week charged her with murder after officers were called to a home in Silverdale, north Auckland, on November 15 where they found a baby dead and the woman seriously injured.

The woman, aged 35, was originally set to appear in the North Shore District Court on Wednesday morning.

But the court building had to be evacuated shortly before her scheduled appearance after it began leaking.

The matter was called again in a hastily arranged hearing at the Auckland District Court late on Wednesday afternoon before Judge Evangelos Thomas, who acknowledged the gravity of the child’s death.

“It is appropriate to acknowledge the astonishing and terrible loss that has occurred.”

He expressed sympathy for the family and all who knew them.

“I doubt they will ever recover from this terrible loss.

“Our hearts go out to them.”

The woman’s lawyer, Hayden Geddes, successfully sought interim name suppression for his client in her absence. Police did not oppose interim suppression.

His arguments for suppression cited the fact a report would need to be prepared regarding her mental health and the welfare of her partner if she was to be named at this stage.

“The deceased is most tragically their child,” Judge Thomas said before granting interim suppression.

Geddes did not seek bail for the woman, who was remanded in custody until her next appearance in the Auckland High Court in December. She remains in hospital under police guard.

Nearby residents earlier said were shocked and upset by the death.

A neighbour said the people who lived at the house were a “nice, friendly and a private family”.

She said she was “shocked and sad” about what happened.

Judge Evangelos Thomas heard the case in the woman's absence on Wednesday afternoon. Photo / Sam Hurley

Another neighbour said she had never heard arguments or been concerned for the family.

“They’ve been in contact with us in the past and they seemed nice.

“They were happy and a wonderful family. I believe they recently had a baby.”

Detective inspector Callum McNeill, of Waitematā CIB, issued a statement on Tuesday confirming police had charged the 35-year-old with murder.

“This is an incredibly distressing situation for the family involved, along with first responders and police who attended,” McNeil said in a statement.