http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=146&objectid=10513391

Woman charged with toddler’s murder

5:00AM Friday May 30, 2008

A 26-year-old woman has been charged with murder following the death of a 22-month-old girl at a Dunedin house on Monday evening.

The woman will appear in the Dunedin District Court today.

Southern district crime manager Detective Inspector Ross Pinkham said emergency services were called to the St Kilda house about 5.45pm on Monday. He declined to say who made the call, what the toddler’s injuries were or the relationship between the woman and child.

He also would not comment on whether the child’s parents had been spoken to or whether the deceased child lived at the house, but did say police had spoken to members of the toddler’s family.
He said it was not appropriate to comment on whether Child, Youth and Family had been alerted before the child’s death.

Mr Pinkham said inquiries were still to be completed and there was ongoing liaison with the child’s family.
He would not comment on whether police were investigating anywhere else or whether anyone else could face charges relating to the death.

A post-mortem examination had been carried out by Dunedin coroner David Crerar and police were waiting on the final results of that, he said.

The body of the girl had been returned to family.

Mike Fox, who lives nearby, said a middle-aged couple lived at the address and had done for the past year and a half. He understood they owned the home.

– OTAGO DAILY TIMES