Baby death charge
NEWCASTLE: A Senegalese woman has been charged with the murder of her sixweek-old daughter.
The 26-year-old is accused of slitting the throat of her youngest child near Newcastle this morning.
The woman’s sister-in-law rang emergency services about 9am after finding the baby girl inside the Wallsend home. It is understood the woman’s husband and her seven-year-old daughter were at a local hospital for an appointment when the child was allegedly murdered.
The family had only been in Australia for a year and police needed a French interpreter before charging her early yesterday evening.
Newcastle Police Superintendent John Gralton said it was tragic.
“It’s a very tragic set of circumstances here today and our heart goes out to other members of the family and friends of the family.”
When ambulance and police arrived at the scene the baby was confirmed dead, a police spokesman said.
Police are understood to be investigating whether postnatal depression was a factor.
The mother was expected to undergo an assessment and will appear in Newcastle Court tomorrow.
Police taped off the street, and forensic officers are combing the crime scene.
Distraught people, believed to be friends and relatives, were being comforted by emergency services and neighbours outside the white fibro cottage.
Neighbour Ellen Graf said she was very upset by the alleged crime, in the usually quiet street.
She said she occasionally saw the mother with the newborn baby.
“It happened at about 9 o’clock this morning,” she said. “Two ambulances came with their sirens blaring, then the police came.
“A neighbour of mine said they saw the mother come out screaming in hand cuffs.”