UPDATED 5.25pm: Tears were shed throughout the second day of a Taranaki woman’s trial for the manslaughter of her six-week-old daughter in February last year.
Crown Prosecutor Justin Marinovich argues the woman, who has name suppression, is accused of smothering her child after consuming alcohol and prescription medication and falling unconscious as she breastfed her.
He says she failed to provide the baby the necessaries of life.
The defence led by Susan Hughes QC, argues the mother was extremely fatigued and suffering from pneumonia at the time of the baby’s death and therefore wasn’t at fault.
The 39-year-old woman broke into tears several times today at one point choosing to remove herself during proceedings as details of her daughter’s death were described in the High Court at New Plymouth.
Throughout the day a witness, who has name suppression, described the day she found the mother and the baby the day she died. She told the court she went to make a routine visit only to find the mother crouched over and asleep in her home
The witness said the mother's other young daughter had to wake her up, and when the mother sat up she noticed the baby was underneath her, had turned yellow, and wasn't breathing.
The witness says she called an ambulance straight away, but the baby was unable to be revived.
Forensic Scientist Helen Poulsen told the court that based on a blood sample taken hours after the baby's death she believed the woman's alcohol level could have been three times the legal driving limit.
She also said the woman's blood contained the drugs zopiclone and methadone, which are known to make consumers sleepy.
Earlier in the day a different witness, who also has name suppression, described her interaction with the mother after the baby was born.
She told the court the mother had confessed to her that she had consumed some prescription medication and breastfed the baby days after she was born.
The witness said she continued to emphasise to the mother the importance to avoid drinking alcohol and taking the drugs while she breastfed the baby.
On further visits to the mother the witness said it was apparent she had continued to drink alcohol and take the medication before she breastfed.
The trial will continue tomorrow.
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