Murdered by babysitter
The mother of a 9-year-old boy murdered by his babysitter in the quiet Southland town of Otautau, found him dead in his bedroom.
The youth, aged 15 at the time of the offending on October 30 last year, pleaded guilty to the murder in the Invercargill High Court on Monday and is expected to be sentenced on May 7. An interim name suppression order for both the defendant and victim remains in place until sentencing.
The summary of facts says the youth had been babysitting the victim, which he had done at least 10 times before, when he stabbed him.
When the victim’s mother returned to the house she found the victim lying on his back on the floor at the foot of his bed.
He had a large knife embedded in his stomach and he appeared to be deceased.
The victim had received three large knife wounds to his torso and chest area. He also had injuries consistent with asphyxia and a moderate head injury.
The victim’s mother and stepfather had been at a hotel playing pool with the defendant’s mother, which they had done on a weekly basis.
Earlier in the evening, about 6pm, the defendant’s mother dropped him off to babysit. About 7.40pm, the defendant was seen walking down the street.
At 8.20pm, the defendant sent, through Facebook messenger, a message to a friend that said ‘‘help’’. At 8.30pm, he sent a Snapchat to three friends which said ‘‘what would you do if I killed someone’’.
At 8.35pm, he sent a Facebook message to another friend which said ‘‘what would you think of me if I killed someone’’ and then a second message saying ‘‘straight forward answer’’.
Sometime just before 9pm, he was seen walking south along the Riverton-Otautau Rd. At 10.10pm, the victim’s mother sent a text to the defendant asking if the victim was asleep, but he did not respond.
At 10.30pm, the defendant sent a text to his mother which said ‘‘im sorry come get me’’.
Also at about 10.30pm, both parents returned to the house where the attack took place, with the defendant’s mother waiting in her car to give him a ride home.
It was then the victim’s mother found him and she ran out of the house screaming. The defendant’s mother also went in to the house and saw the victim. She then called an ambulance officer who lived nearby. She then phoned 111. The defendant was not in or around the house.
Ambulance staff and members of the police arrived at the scene where it was confirmed the victim was dead. Early stage rigor mortis was observed and this along with other results from the post mortem suggest he had been killed within 90 minutes of being in the care of the defendant.
Just after 11pm, the defendant was seen walking towards Otautau on the Riverton-Otautau Rd and was picked up by two males driving towards Otautau.
About 11.29pm he arrived at his home and was located by police about 12.38am on October 31 and was arrested.
The findings regarding cause of death, as detailed by the pathologist, were stab wounds to the chest and abdomen, resulting blood loss, and concurrent asphyxia from neck compression.