The mother of a 5-year-old autistic boy who was allegedly murdered at his Christchurch home has been charged with failing in her legal duty as a carer to get him medical treatment on the day he died.
Leon Michael leFleming Jayet-Cole died in hospital days after suffering a serious head injury on May 27.
His step-father James Stedman Roberts, 34, has been charged with his murder. He has pleaded not guilty.
Now, the boy's mother Emma Le Fleming Roberts, 37, is facing a charge of failing to get him medical treatment on the day he died.
The full charging document laid at Christchurch District Court reads: "On May 27, being a person who has actual care of Leon Jayet-Cole being a person under the age of 18 years omitted to discharge a legal duty namely seeking medical treatment which is likely to cause adverse effects to health, namely serious illness or death to Leon Jayet-Cole and the omission to perform the legal duty namely seeking medical treatment is a major departure from the standard of care to be expected of a reasonable person."
It is a charge that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment.
Ms Roberts was given a registrar's remand without having to appear in court before a judge today.
She was remanded to appear at Christchurch District Court on August 4.
- By Kurt Bayer of NZME. News Service
