‘Mercy killing’ mum reads disability review

A woman jailed for killing her autistic daughter will read a review of disability services, prompted by the murder, before it is made public.

Blenheim woman Donella Knox is serving a four-year murder sentence at Christchurch Women’s Prison after smothering her 21-year-old daughter Ruby in 2016.

The murder prompted the Nelson Marlborough District Health Board to bring in leading paediatrician Dr Rosemary Marks to review its disability support services in May last year.

The review will focus on the transition from paediatric to adult care, and what staff should do when a parent of a patient refuses help or treatment for their child. Knox will get the chance to request private details are withheld from the report released to the public.

The report has also been sent to the Ministry of Health, and is expected to recommend sweeping reforms to disability support services. Ministry group manager for disability health services Toni Atkinson said the ministry was currently considering the report.

‘‘This was a difficult situation for all concerned and required much better co-ordination across a range of health services.’’

Knox had struggled to properly care for her autistic daughter, who had complex physical health problems and was sometimes violent towards her mother.

Justice Joe Williams said at her sentencing the murder was ‘‘part mercy killing, part self-defence’’. Knox felt ‘‘totally hopeless and let down by the system’’, he said.

After Knox was imprisoned, lawyer Simon Shamy described events leading up to Ruby’s murder as a ‘‘perfect storm’’.

‘‘They lived in a small centre with limited medical facilities and not enough money, and no social support. People did their best, but there just weren’t enough resources.’’

Knox’s sentence was due to end in November 2020, but she became eligible for parole on March 30. Judge Jane Lovell-smith said in a decision released last week the board could not make a decision about parole as Knox had not yet finished one-on-one counselling, so an up-to-date psychological assessment could not be finished. Knox was adjourned to another parole hearing in August.

Shamy said he was ‘‘very disappointed’’. Knox already had two psychological reports, which were ‘‘both very, very favourable’’.

‘‘For somebody who’s been through the wringer already, and with such positive reports already, who has a good place to be released to, has to stay another six months just for the sake of another report. And to make her wait six months to finish her counselling? That’s rubbish, she could be doing that in the community,’’ Shamy said.