A woman whose premature baby was injured just days after coming home from hospital for the first time has been sentenced for failing to get medical treatment for the child. 

The mother, who has permanent name suppression to protect the child’s identity, said she did not take the baby to hospital herself because she was new to Wellington. 

The woman, who was charged with ill-treatment of a child, was sentenced in the Wellington District Court last week to six months of community detention, 60 hours of community work, and two years of intensive supervision after pleading guilty to the crime. 

According to the summary of facts, the woman and her partner had been in an on-and-off relationship for two years before the child was born. 

Their son was born prematurely at 29 weeks, and spent the first two months of his life in hospital. During this time the parents “rarely visited him in hospital and were difficult to get hold of, according to hospital staff”, the summary said. 

The mother had extensive involvement with Oranga Tamariki and had previously had all four of her children removed from her care. After the birth of her youngest child in 2022, a safety plan was put in place for when he was discharged from hospital. 

The plan involved the baby being brought to Wellington, and his grandmother living with them for support. 

“The defendants were meant to have a supervisor with them at all times whilst they were caring for the baby,” the summary said. 

The baby was discharged from hospital for the first time on July 8, 2022, and was brought to Wellington to live. The mother joined the rest of the family about five days later. 

The woman was sentenced in the Wellington District Court last week. 

“[She] noticed [the baby] had red spots in his eyes, but these went away. The red spots/burst blood vessels in the victim’s left eye were subconjunctival haemorrhages.” 

The summary states the woman failed to get medical treatment for her child between July 12 and August 21, 2022. 

Full details of the baby’s injuries have been withheld by the court, as the father has pleaded not guilty to charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and the joint charge of failing to obtain medical care. 

The woman told police she asked her partner multiple times to take the baby to hospital for his eye, but did not take him herself because she was new to Wellington. 

The father is next due in court in August for a callover. 

Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years. 

This article was originally published on the NZ Herald here.