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Supervision support for mother after baby's death
A judge has described a mother having ?a terrible time of things? with a secret birth in a Christchurch park, and he has given her the support of a year?s supervision.
Judge Michael Radford also permanently suppressed the name of the 27-year-old at her sentencing in the Christchurch District Court after she had admitted disposing of the dead body of the baby boy with intent to conceal the fact of its birth.
He said it was ?a very sad and unfortunate set of circumstances? that led to the offence in July or August last year.
Defence counsel Elizabeth Bulger said she had a report from a psychiatrist indicating that the woman needed structure to give credence to what she had done and to assist her.
Judge Radford said the woman had had a terrible time of things and he wanted her to have support with the supervision.
The body of the dead baby boy was found in a shed at Waltham Christchurch on February 17, 2010.
The mother was found the next day and she told police she had hidden the pregnancy from everyone, and given birth to the baby in a park near her home in July or August 2009.
She could not remember if the baby was alive or dead. Her first recollection was lying in bed with him trying to keep him warm.
She hid the baby in a bag in a laundry basket when her seven-year-old daughter was due to stay with her.
