A 3-month-old baby who died from unascertained circumstances had methamphetamine in his system, partly from exposure to his mother’s breast milk.

The tragedy came two years after his sister Tiana also died with meth in her system.

Ronin John Tony Stanley-Hunt died on June 18, 2024 at his home in West Auckland.

While the cause of Ronin’s death was “unascertained”, a coroner has found it was likely due to a combination of exposure to methamphetamine, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), dehydration and an unsafe sleep environment.

The case was highlighted in the latest quarterly recap drawing attention to findings made in the past few months.

In a list of recommendations aimed at multiple agencies, Coroner Alison Mills has highlighted that additional education and resources are needed to curb infant deaths in which methamphetamine was a factor.

“Sadly, Ronin and Tiana are not the only babies where methamphetamine has contributed to their deaths,” she said.

The coroner said the rising use of meth combined with insufficient and under-resourced rehabilitation services meant there was a “significant risk” more young babies would be exposed to the drug.

The Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) provided evidence that between December 2015 and 2022 there were 20 cases of infant deaths where methamphetamine and/or amphetamine was found in their systems.

Ronin was the fourth child of Ayla Stanley-Hunt and Michael Roggeveen.

Tiana was their third child. The 4-month-old was found unresponsive in the bed she shared with her mother and another sibling in April 2022.

Her death was also investigated by a coroner and recorded as unascertained but toxicological testing detected methamphetamine in her blood, most likely attributed to breast milk.

The midwife said the parents confirmed they were smoking cigarettes and vaping during the pregnancy with Ronin.

Coroner Mills said when it became apparent that safe sleep recommendations were not being followed, a midwife offered to help set up the sensor mattress, but the mother declined.

She said co-sleeping was the only way she was able to settle Ronin.

The midwife and Whānau Āwhina Plunket nurses who visited the pair at home reported he appeared well.

They also observed that Ayla Stanley-Hunt did not appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol during any visits, and saw no signs of alcohol or drugs in the house.

Infant ‘unresponsive’ in shared bed

About 7.30am on June 18, 2024, as the father prepared to leave for work, he saw his partner in the middle of the bed with their 3-year-old son and Ronin on one side of the bed.

A short time later the infant was found unresponsive in the bed.

Police were called and found an unused bassinet in the main bedroom. A sensor pad was under the sheet but not plugged in.

In the same room, police seized a box containing drug paraphernalia associated with methamphetamine use. Swabs revealed meth and nicotine in the main bedroom, the coroner said.

Blood samples taken from Ronin during an autopsy revealed methamphetamine at a level consistent with exposure from breast milk following recreational use of the drug.

Cotinine (an alkaloid found in tobacco) was also detected.

Ronin tested positive for RSV, a common virus in children that can cause severe illness in infants, and there was evidence of dehydration, the coroner said.

The pathologist couldn’t exclude the possibility of asphyxia associated with bed sharing.

The cause of Ronin’s death was not certain but the coroner accepted three “modifiable” factors contributed, including exposure to cigarette smoke both in utero and after birth, exposure to methamphetamine through breastfeeding and in the environment and bed-sharing with his mother and sibling.

Meth use on the rise

Coroner Mills said the use of methamphetamine in New Zealand continued to increase.

Recent wastewater reports showed that during the last three months of 2025, 34.7kg of meth was used in New Zealand each week.

The coroner said that was a “significant increase” since March 2024, when an average 13.6kg was consumed.

The coroner said it suggested more resources and energy were needed to support pregnant mothers (and their whānau) who used methamphetamine to minimise the risk of harm to their babies before and after birth.

She recommended the College of Midwives introduce additional education, resources and training for midwives about methamphetamine and strategies to reduce harm to babies during pregnancy and after birth.

She also suggested they review the advice and information provided to women about breastfeeding and methamphetamine.

Coroner Mills also recommended that Plunket NZ introduce additional education, resources and training for nurses and health workers about methamphetamine, including strategies to reduce harm to babies and children.

It was recommended that Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand introduce methamphetamine-specific harm reduction training, resources and strategies for all Well Child/Tamariki Ora providers.

Health New Zealand pointed to the myriad factors that contributed to infants’ deaths, including housing, poverty, maternal mental health, drug addiction, family violence and financial insecurity.

Health New Zealand said it would take an integrated and cross-agency approach to address what it said were preventable deaths.

Coroner Mills said there was “no doubt” that was needed.