Woman lied to police about son's burns

A Wairarapa mother pleaded guilty in Masterton District Court on Thursday to a charge of obstructing police, crying in the dock during the proceeding.

A Wairarapa woman has been convicted of obstructing police, when they came to her house to investigate burns her toddler received.

She pleaded guilty to the charge through lawyer James Elliot in Masterton District Court on Thursday, and cried in the dock during the proceeding.

The charge related to an incident in September last year in which her son received burns on his feet from hot water.

Judge Barbara Morris said the woman had been living with her two young children at the time and medical staff who treated the child had alerted authorities of the injury.

"Police came to your address with Child, Youth and Family to investigate what is described as serious burns."

Judge Morris said as the police officer spoke to the woman, it would have been in her thoughts they were investigating the matter.

"What you told police were lies to deflect that investigation, to deflect attention away from you.

"You would have led police down the wrong chain of investigation."

Judge Morris said the woman lied to the officer saying she had been asleep with the child in her bed.

She told police without waking her, the child had got into the bathroom and hot water overflowing from a blocked sink had burned his feet.

She also told police a male friend was sleeping on the couch. He was actually in her bed and the child was not there.

"Your explanation is that you had told the truth on an earlier occasion and your children had been removed from your care."

Judge Morris said the woman had also asked other people to lie for her.

She said while imprisonment could have been imposed, the woman no longer had her children in her care.

"I note you have suffered the ultimate penalty that no doubt caused you distress."

She convicted and sentenced the woman to 60 hours' community work, nine months' supervision and ordered her to undertake drug and alcohol counselling and any parenting course if directed.

Names and identifying details have been suppressed.