Pregnant crash mum on P killed own child
A pregnant mother has been found guilty of killing her unrestrained 2-year-old daughter in a car crash while on methamphetamine.
Valencia Skipper yesterday appeared for trial in the Napier District Court, after pleading not guilty to one charge of driving a car while under the influence of methamphetamine, and causing the death of her daughter, Saphire Skipper-Hira.
Potential jurors were sent home after Skipper’s defence lawyer elected to have a judge-alone trial.
An application to take photographs of the 21-year-old in court was granted, despite her lawyer, William Hawkins, arguing photographs in the media “may increase the stress” of her current pregnancy.
The summary of facts released by the court says Skipper was driving a Nissan Primera towards Flaxmere at about 5pm on January 13, 2016.
She was a forbidden driver at the time, as she didn’t have a driver’s licence.
Skipper’s 11-year-old sister was in the front seat, and her 2-year-old daughter, Saphire Skipper-Hira, was in a child seat in the back seat.
The 2-year-old was not wearing a seat belt or any restraints.
Skipper was driving south, when she lost control of the car on a straight piece of road, in a 100km/h section of State Highway 50A, causing it to veer across the centre line towards oncoming traffic.
Witnesses described the car as suddenly veering or “ricocheting” right across the road. It left the road and crossed a concrete culvert before rolling on a dirt bank.
The young child was flung from the vehicle as it rolled.
Skipper was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
A blood sample confirmed there was no evidence of alcohol, but did contain the class A controlled drug methamphetamine.
During the 15-minute trial in front of Judge Tony Adeane, Hawkins applied for the charge of causing a death while under the influence of methamphetamine to be amended and reduced to a lesser one. The application was declined. Judge Adeane told the court that the current charge has been proven beyond reasonable doubt.
At an earlier court appearance, Skipper pleaded guilty to one charge of driving while forbidden.
Skipper has been remanded back on bail, to be sentenced on both charges next month.