Woman who hid dead baby's body gets supervision

File photo / NZH

A Wellington woman who admitted hiding her baby's body in a cupboard for five months before it was found has been convicted and sentenced to 12 months' supervision.

The woman, 21, has permanent name suppression. She admitted the charge of disposing of a child's body with intent to conceal the fact of its birth when she appeared in Wellington District Court earlier this year.

She gave birth to the baby boy last May, Judge Phil Moran said.

"You came home feeling unwell, in pain and ended up in the bathroom giving birth to the baby in the shower.

"When baby was born he was still, he was blue and he was cold."

She then hid the baby's body in a bathroom cupboard for five months, before it was found.

Judge Moran said the pathologist could not conclude whether the baby was born dead or alive.

"I think it is very likely that baby was stillborn."

It was her fourth pregnancy, he said.

She had previously said she did not know she was pregnant when she gave birth but he did not believe this because she knew what it felt like to be pregnant, he said.

"But you chose to deny it, you couldn't cope with this reality, you just tried to live your life as if you weren't pregnant.

"You didn't make any arrangements of birth of baby in a safe environment...you exposed yourself and baby to risk of injury or death."

Defence lawyer Philippa Sullivan argued the woman should be discharged without conviction.

Having a conviction meant the woman would have to relive her experience every time she had to explain the conviction to someone, she said.

"This offending happened at a time when she was suffering from post traumatic stress and depression.

"The offender is still unable to share this information with close family and friends."

Ms Sullivan said she was accountable, and lived with the trauma every day.

"She will live with this offending all her life, she has grieved this child."

However, prosecutor Blake Dawson said the application for discharge without conviction was "more or less seeking an acquittal".

Mr Dawson said the report minimised the child as a victim.

"This wasn't some nice burial.

"I think the events subsequent to the birth are coloured by the disposal."

Judge Moran said he had sympathy for the defendant "but compassion must not overwhelm judgment".

"I cannot ignore the circumstance of the birth, that you intended to conceal (its birth)."

As part of the supervision, the woman must continue to attend outpatient treatment at a community mental health service, undergo a psychological assessment and complete treatment that may be prescribed from the mental health team.

A Wellington man, who has permanent name suppression, was also charged with disposing of the baby's body but had the charge withdrawn by police when he appeared last month.

- NZPA








\NZP