Woman pleads guilty to hiding dead baby in creek

The dead body of a baby girl was left in a roadside creek for three days before it was discovered. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A 21-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to hiding her dead baby girl in a plastic bag in a creek.

The young woman appeared in Papakura District Court today and pleaded guilty to one charge of disposing of the dead body of a child.

She was granted name suppression because of mental health concerns.

The woman hid the pregnancy from work colleagues and family after falling pregnant in late 2010, Auckland Now reported.

In late June, the woman left work because of contractions and gave birth to a baby girl at home.

The baby died shortly after birth, and the woman wrapped the dead body in sheets and placed it in a plastic bag before returning to work.

After her shift, the woman returned home and collected the baby, which she then left in a roadside creek.

Police were called when someone found the body three days later.

Police have ruled they cannot determine what caused the baby to die.

The woman is due to appear in court again on November 11 for sentencing.