A Northland woman, charged with neglect after allegedly shutting a 2-year-old girl in a suitcase on a bus, has applied for permanent name suppression.
In a hearing in the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Court (CPMIP) today, her fitness to stand trial was also raised.
Both issues would be heard in the Auckland District Court at her next appearance on October 1.
In the meantime, the 27-year-old would remain in custody — with her identity suppressed — under the care of a prison mental health team. She has yet to enter a plea.
At the end of the hearing, a family member stood to thank the judge for dealing with the matter.
Watch Simon Mercep’s report for TVNZ+ here
An Intercity bus driver discovered the two-year-old alive in the luggage compartment during a scheduled stop in Kaiwaka on August 4, during a trip from Whangārei to Auckland.
Earlier this month, police said the driver noticed a bag was moving and opened it to discover the girl, who was taken to hospital. Police allege the girl faced serious health risks, including suffocation, carbon monoxide poisoning and psychological trauma.
An earlier police charge sheet alleged that the woman’s behaviour was “a major departure from the standard of care to be expected of a reasonable person”.
