QLD:Mum left newborn baby in toilet: court

AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-2010
QLD:Mum left newborn baby in toilet: court

By Christine Flatley

BRISBANE, Dec 7 AAP - A mother who gave birth into a toilet left her baby face down
in the water for nine minutes before telling ambulance officers, a court has been told.

The baby girl was revived but suffered severe complications and died a year later as
a result, the Supreme Court in Brisbane was told on Tuesday.

The mother, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her child.

The court was told she initially thought she was constipated, but that she failed to
pull the baby from the water once she realised she'd given birth.

Prosecutor Phil McCarthy told the court the then 19-year-old had only learned she was
36 weeks' pregnant the day before she went into labour at her home at Kingston, south
of Brisbane, on October 25, 2005.

Defence barrister Angus Edwards said his client was of low intelligence and had poor
cognitive function, meaning she had difficulty dealing with change and new situations.

The court was told the teenager panicked when she realised she had given birth, and
held some belief the child may have been stillborn.

However, she later told a hospital midwife she heard her daughter making noises in
the toilet bowl.

Justice John Byrne sentenced the woman to five years' jail, suspended immediately.

The woman has already served 510 days in pre-sentence custody.

AAP cf/tnf/jsh/apm

KEYWORD: MOTHER

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