Woman accused of murdering newborn in Western Australia when she was 14
A woman accused of murdering her newborn baby, whose body was found in a Western Australian caravan park toilet more than 20 years ago, has been granted bail so she can return to Victoria.
Cold case homicide squad detectives allege the boy was wilfully murdered in Kambalda, in WA’s Goldfields region, in July 1995.
Detectives travelled to Victoria to charge the 38-year-old woman, who was 14 at the time of the alleged offence.
The woman, who cannot be named, faced Perth children’s court on Thursday flanked by two security guards.
The court heard the woman now lived at a rented home in regional Victoria with her 17-year-old son and had shared custody of an eight-year-old child.
She also has children in Tasmania. The woman was previously employed
as a cleaner but was currently
unemployed and receiving Centrelink
payments.
Judge Gillian Braddock described it as a traumatic and tragic case, saying the woman was also a victim of crime, as she was 13 when the baby was allegedly conceived, and no one knew about her “condition”.
Braddock also noted the woman had no relevant criminal history and had cooperated with police.
“I am satisfied that these are exceptional circumstances,” she said.
Under the terms of her bail conditions, the woman is required to report to police three times per week, must stay away from airports unless she is returning to Perth for a court appearance and cannot apply for a passport.
She must also provide a $100 personal undertaking.
The woman will be allowed to make her next court appearance via video link on 11 November.
Police said earlier this week that an investigation was ongoing into the circumstances surrounding the conception of the baby.