A mother who admitted killing her baby boy by accidentally suffocating him after a day spent drinking has been sent to prison.
It is the second time one of Ngaire Kura Tukiwaho's babies has died in her care.
Justice Graham Lang handed down a sentence of two years and one month jail when Tukiwaho appeared in the High Court at Rotorua this morning after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of 2-month-old Tahi Elvis Edwards.
According to a summary of facts, Tukiwaho, who is a mother of five, had been sleeping with the baby in the back seat of a car on January 5, 2011.
When Tukiwaho woke up the baby was blue and not breathing. It was found Tahi died as a result of probable accidental suffocation associated with an unsafe sleeping environment.
It is the second time one of Tukiwaho's babies have died and the 30-year-old was information about the importance of safe sleeping practices following the cot death of the first.
In January 2008, police were called to a property where Tukiwaho was found intoxicated.
Tukiwaho told police she had discovered her son Hoani Benino, who was 1 month old, dead in his cot.
The coroner found the cause of Hoani's death was sudden infant death syndrome (cot death).
Early in 2010, Tukiwaho became pregnant and was provided with information about sudden infant death syndrome and the importance of safe sleeping.
Throughout her pregnancy with Tahi and while she carried her other children, Tukiwaho drank excessively at least once or twice a week, the police summary said.
On at least one occasion she drank to the point of vomiting.
She fell asleep in a car with the baby. When she awoke he was blue and not breathing.
A pathologist found Tahi died as a result of probable accidental suffocation associated with an unsafe sleeping environment.
When spoken to by police Tukiwaho accepted she knew about the sleeping risks. Tukiwaho accepted her son's death was preventable.
She has three other children, two of whom are in the custody of Child Youth and Family, and the other is in the care of the child's father.
