Group seeks justicefor baby
A Ngaruawahia woman behind a campaign to raise awareness of child abuse says she is determined to get justice for dead infant Serenity Jay Scott.
Cherie Sweeney, of the Nation of Advocates for the Rights of Kids (Nark) group, was at the Hamilton District Court yesterday for the appearance of Hamilton man Mathew Ellery.
Ellery, 21, partner of Serenity’s mother, Chelsea Scott, is charged with murdering the 6-month-old in Ngaruawahia on April 26 last year.
Sweeney said there was ‘‘absolute relief’’ among Ngaruawahia’s closeknit community after the arrest.
‘‘This will start to bring some closure for neighbours and the community of Ngaruawahia,’’ she said outside court. ‘‘It’s a heart-rending situation for all of us and I want to see this all the way to the end, conviction and sentencing.’’
Police yesterday said they were not expecting to make any further arrests in connection to Serenity’s death.
Serenity died from critical injuries at Starship Hospital two days after being found unresponsive at her Havelock Rd home.
A bleary-eyed Ellery appeared visibly agitated in the dock as Community Magistrate Susan Hovell granted in-court applications for photography and filming before closing the court and moving proceedings into chambers.
After 25 minutes, the courtroom was reopened to news media.
Ellery, dressed in a light-blue shirt, trembled and coughed as he wiped his eyes with tissues and repeatedly glanced at an older couple in the public gallery.
Hovell declined bail and ordered a psychiatric report to assess Ellery’s fitness to enter a plea.
Ellery was remanded to an at-risk unit at prison.