Bond for concealing birth
BY INGRID BOWN
30/07/2008 8:38:00 AM
A LAKE Macquarie mother-of-four who dumped her baby's body on a vacant block last December after giving birth in a nearby motel, has been placed on an 18-month good behaviour bond for concealing the birth.
Magistrate Elaine Truscott told Newcastle Local Court that the woman had been a victim of many years of violent abuse at the hands of the child's father, and that her behaviour was associated with that abuse and her fears of him.
She said the 33-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had "clearly suffered" over the incident and would have to live with it for the rest of her life.
The woman pleaded guilty to the offence in March but her sentencing was postponed because of a pending coronial inquest, and the possibility that further charges might be laid.
The court heard yesterday that a post-mortem report had found the baby boy was either stillborn, or died shortly after birth.
The report indicated he had inhaled birth fluid.
As a result, no further charges were laid and the coronial proceedings were completed.
The woman was arrested after a man walking his children to school found the baby, wrapped in a plastic bag, towel and cooler bag, beside the Pacific Highway on December 4.
The woman told police she did not know whether the child was alive or dead when she gave birth to him on the toilet in a motel room on December 2 while her partner slept.
Her memories of dumping him were vague and she claimed she had been on autopilot. She said no one except her partner knew of the pregnancy, and he had told her he did not want more children.
Her Legal Aid solicitor, Marvia Sorensen, said yesterday the woman was under extreme stress at the time of the birth.
"She has no real recollection of the day in question as she was trying to push it out of her mind," Ms Sorensen said.
The woman, a "quietly-spoken" person, had since named the boy and held a memorial service for him.
"She's extremely remorseful," Ms Sorensen said. "She perhaps should've taken another course, but was extremely frightened of her partner . . . having experienced his wrath over some time."
She was now receiving counselling, including for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, and was doing everything she could for herself and her other children.
Ms Truscott noted the woman received no medical help during her pregnancy or labour and was "in complete denial".
She said said there was no suggestion she had done anything to cause the baby's death.