Woman jailed for killing son with methadone dose

Claudine Herewini. Photo / Wanganui Chronicle

A woman who gave her son a lethal dose of her methadone to cure a sore stomach has been jailed for four years and 11 months.

Claudine Michelle Herewini, 42, appeared in the High Court at Wanganui before Justice Ron Young this morning after earlier pleading guilty to the manslaughter of her 9-year-old son, Antony Christensen, by administering the class B drug methadone.

He died in Raetihi on December 7, 2012.

After Herewini had given Antony the methadone he felt ill and called an ambulance.

He was checked by St John staff but they left, unaware he had been given methadone.

Antony later died in his sleep.

The court was told Herewini was deeply depressed at the time and had a long history of depression and drug and alcohol abuse which all played a part in her actions.

- Wanganui Chronicle